Roughnecks: Act II
by fixx
Summary: ten years after the first bug war, SICON is caught completely off guard by a second major bug offensive. Chapter 11 is up, the first of the Armstrong Campaign.
1. Episode 1: What Befouls Us All

"The Reunion"  
Episode 201 – What Befouls Us All  
D-Minus Ten  
  
  
"I hadn't seen Jonnie Rico in years. But everyone knows him. Knows of him at least, but I could say proudly, that I knew him. I was there at his wedding, and I'll be there for him for what ever I need to be there for. I just wish I knew where he was when it all started...again."  
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_   
  
  
NEAR LOVELL   
  
He'd been gone nearly two months now. And his dreams still were of the same thing. The queen.   
  
Carl awoke from a fitful sleep with a start. The voice was back in his head, calling out its threats and promises for him to hear, but this time, it was only for him to hear. It was a personal message. He quickly sat up in his bed. He was closer than before; he knew he was going the right way. He wanted to tell everyone, but if he let a message out broadcasting his whereabouts, he'd be dead before anything could be done, and SICON would be walking into a trap because for all he knew, it was an echo, idle threats, something, anything. He hoped. A fleeting thought caused him to stare at his vid screen. He turned it on to see a delayed showing of a press conference about the death of former Sky Marshall Sanchez. Carl had known he'd died a long time before even Doc knew it.   
  
Carl could hear Higgins's voice and let out a silent call to him, both of greeting and of warning. He pressed a few keys and a recording camera popped out of the wall. He sat up straight and pressed record on the screen. In two minutes he was finished and pressed send. He knew it would find its recipient, but he didn't know if it would be before it was too late.   
  
  
KLENDATHU   
  
Private Joseph Henderson stepped over the boulder obstructing his path. He hated Klendathu more than anything, even more than his own father. He shuttered at the thought of his father and kicked a rock through the air.   
  
He was on point in front of the squad. If that's what you could call it. Joseph hadn't been in the MI long enough to have experienced what a full squad was like. He'd joined only a year ago, doing it for what every other eighteen year old did it for; the adventure. He'd believed the propaganda.   
  
Propaganda was for those who had no mind, no will of their own, and they always bought into. But Joseph was the exception; he'd known what he was doing it for. He thought he really could see the adventure; maybe even go on mission with Major Rico, because he knew he was still out there wiping bug hives off the surface's of planets. Joseph cursed himself silently.   
  
Behind him were Davis, the Skinnie J'Pil, and the LT; Larson. Lieutenant Larson was a veteran of the Bug War; he had been a private in the MI and had served with the best. Larson was rough, tough and mean. Maybe that was why he was on Klendathu and happy. But Henderson sure wasn't happy, he hated Klendathu. Orange, and red with no green, well, not the green like Earth had it. Klendathu had too many weird plants, and then of course, it had the bugs.   
  
The Bug Queen had been killed, ten years ago, but some of the brains survived, trying to uphold her law. Every now and then, there would be reports of bugs surfacing on planets and killing locals. A ship would be dispatched and the planet would be wiped clean and the locals, if not dead, could return to their life. But Klendathu was different, it was the Bugs home, where it all started, so it seemed like the bugs were never going to give it up, and the brass wanted it around for 'species study' as they called it. In other words, some brain in SICON still wanted the planet around because their four year old thought a bug was cute and didn't want them to all die out.   
  
The truth was, was that SICON still didn't fully understand the Bugs, and never would if they didn't exist. Know your enemy. What if more bugs came about two or three hundred years down the line through some weird mishap, or what if another enemy surfaced that was worse than the bugs, and their understanding of the bugs could help. All the improbabilities were endless but just as probable to anyone who could think them up and fight for the bugs to remain in existence.   
  
Joseph hated the bugs more than Klendathu, and more than his father. His father had beaten Joseph as a kid, and when his eighteenth birthday came around, Joseph took the chance to get away from his father. The MI took him in and loved him like his father had not, and like his mother never could. The MI did not beat to be mean, like his father; it beat only to teach and never left any permanent marks that didn't help you. And it didn't die like his mother had (through no fault of her own), to leave him with an abusive drunkard father. The anger was boiling up in him again and he kicked another rock.   
  
They were in the desert plain of Klendathu, on patrol as always. Seismic activity had been picked up via satellite and the Major in charge of Klendathu, Major Spade, thought it was worth one of their pitiful squads to investigate. Joseph thought of the squads as pitiful because of the way the Lieutenant talked, and from what he remembered from the vids and when the Bugs had invaded Earth. Four troopers was ridiculous, but SICON had spread itself so thin after the war because of the territory it had inherited from the Bug Empire and from the releasing of personnel immediately after the war, costing the MI almost a fourth of its numbers, and an additional fifth of its remainders to Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, suicides, AWOL, and countless Section 8's. So many of the officers and soldiers of the Bug War didn't even remember fighting. Maybe it was the best for them; Joseph didn't know and didn't want to find out.   
  
The squad came to a hill over looking a large plain of mud and sand, and a newly constructed bug mound. The Lieutenant called a halt and took J'Pil aside. The two discussed something or another for a moment but then the ground began to shake, steadily at first, barely noticeable, but within seconds it had reached its crescendo before a horde of warriors erupted and began to overtake them.   
  
Davis was the first to die; his body was shredded to bits quickly while the LT and J'Pil fired incessantly into the overwhelming numbers. But Joseph ran, his instincts and fears getting the better of him. When he caught himself, a full fifteen seconds after the breakthrough, he turned around to see the LT standing alone with J'Pil and Davis's bodies and about fifteen dead bugs. He realized that what he thought was a horde was only maybe twenty; the other five were running towards the mound.   
  
"Sir, I-" He began but was quickly silenced by the LT.   
  
"Stow it trooper. During the war, you would have been dead, like these two, do you understand that?" He shouted with his voice calm, collective and cool; the worst thing in a voice that anyone can hear. "Now days, you troopers are soft, thinking you should get to do everything the easy way, launch a few rockets and everything is good. Trooper, today you cost the lives of two of your squad mates. Do you get me?"   
  
"Sir, yes sir." Joseph muttered after a brief silence that seemed to last for hours. He dropped his rifle which was caught by its chord and snapped onto his back's rack.   
  
"Trooper, the only reason I'm not going to report your negligence (because I should) is because this is the first time you have seen combat, and a trooper who isn't afraid, isn't a trooper." And the Lieutenant left it at that.   
  
The two policed their friend's bodies and the LT called for emergency pick up and bombardment. Twenty minutes later they were picked up, followed by an orbital nuclear attack, leveling the mound and leaving it a radioactive wasteland for the next two thousand years.   
  
Joseph wanted off of Klendathu more than anything now. He didn't know he would soon get his chance, and if there were anyway for him to know, there was nothing he could have done. Two million would have died by this day the next year.   
  
  
EARTH   
  
Jeff Gossard looked over the railing of his fishing boat, The _Maria_, into the setting sun. It was quite beautiful. The reds and oranges melting together and sparkling like millions of diamonds on the cool surface of the ocean. He loved life now. He turned around to see Jessie looking at him.   
  
She was an extremely beautiful Hispanic woman from Houston. The two had met right after Goss had been released from service and had been with each other ever since. Doc had asked him once why they hadn't gotten married and Gossard found that he couldn't find the right answer as to why they hadn't.   
  
"How's it going big guy?" She asked, her voice soft and her accent soothing him. She brushed her chin length black hair away from her eyes.   
  
"It goes good. The nets are set; everything is ready for the night." He said, trying to be a smooth. "I have some of my new lures down there; we should have a big catch in the morning."   
  
"Mmm, how about a big catch tonight?" She said smiling and pulling him close. She kissed him softly. Goss stared down at her and smiled.   
  
"Jessie, I have something I've wanted to ask you." He said taking a step back and reaching into his pocket. He saw her face begin to light up as though the sun had popped back up to say good bye. He pulled out a long rod. "Do you think that a shock stick will help bring more shrimp to the surface? I know it may bring other fish too, but hey, we could sell those too."   
  
He could see the look leave her face quickly and sadness over take it. She stepped back and looked at the deck and nodded her head. "Yeah Jeff, I think it will." She turned around and began to go in the cabin. "I've got some papers to fill out, I'll be below deck."   
  
Gossard smiled and pulled the small box out from his other pocket. "Jessie, one more thing..."   
  
When she turned back around he was on his knee holding the box and ring in front of him. He saw her begin to cry as she lost her breath. "Will you marry me?" She dropped to her knees in front of him, tears flowing freely from her eyes. She grabbed him and hugged him tightly.   
  
"Of course Jeff, of course." She whispered softly into his ear. He held her close, the two of them together on the deck of his ship. Gossard didn't know what was coming, nor would he have cared. He was happy now, and that was all that mattered.   
  


*****

  
"Clear!" The nurse shouted pressing the pads against the patient's chest. He jumped about a foot in the air, but the monotonous beep stayed there. A flat line read out across the display pad. The nurse shook her head sadly.   
  
"Oh no you don't!" Richard "Doc" Lacroix shouted as he pushed the nurse out of the way. "50 CC's of adrenaline, and up the wattage!" He turned to the man on his table and looked at the flat line. He'd been like that for about two minutes, but Doc wasn't going to give up, not now, not on him. "Don't you chicken out now!" he whispered in his ear. "You will not give up!"   
  
A nurse rushed up with a hypodermic and Doc snatched it from her. He made sure the passage was clear and plunged it down into his patient. After a moment he checked for the pulse there was none. He grabbed the pads and began to shock the body. A nurse walked up and put a hand on Doc's shoulder.   
  
"Doctor…" She began, but Doc pulled away and shocked again. And still nothing happened. He dropped the pads on the floor and dropped to his knees and wept.   
  
"Doctor?" One of the other nurses said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Name: Sky Marshal Julio Sanchez, retired, dead at 2:03 AM, Thursday November 13th, 2091." Doc said getting to his feet. He pulled his latex gloves off and threw them across the room. Even though the rooms were bright, he still felt like everything was cold and dark. The man who had pulled the world through its darkest time was now dead. Where he hadn't failed the world, Doc had failed him.   
  
He walked into the hallway and was greeted with the sight of dozens of reporters in the lobby. The security of three MI would keep them there until Doc was ready to talk to them. He stepped into his office and closed the door behind him. It was a spacious office, a nice oak desk and a bookshelf that held countless medical books. He sat down on in his chair and leaned back. He'd lost Sky Marshal Sanchez. He couldn't believe it. He knew there would be an investigation, but the truth was, is that Sanchez was just ready to buy his piece. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and stood back up. It was time to face the reporters.   
  
He stepped out of his office and walked to the edge of the lobby. Two of the MI moved and let him through where he was greeted with hover cameras, lights and dozens of questions. He was feeling over whelmed when a specific voice cut through. He looked straight in front of him and saw an old friend.   
  
Robert Higgins hadn't really changed much, his youthful appearance was still there and he looked as robust as ever. The two smiled at each other before Doc hushed the horde.   
  
"One at a time!" He bellowed, which quieted them all. "Now, you?" He pointed at a reported off to his right, an Asian man with a camera mounted on the side of his head.   
  
"What is Citizen Sanchez's condition?" The reporter asked.   
  
"Dead. Next question?" Doc quickly let out. He didn't like questions, and he disliked the feelings they brought up in him even more. They always made him feel unsure of himself, that he had missed something, that there was something more he could do.   
  
"What was the cause of death Doctor Lacroix?" One asked, a woman in a purple dress.   
  
"Heart failure, pure and simple. Citizen Sanchez was brought in at 12:32 AM this morning after suffering mild cardiac arrest. It was later discovered that his heart was not going to last long. At 1:14 AM, Citizen Sanchez was rushed into surgery where he was given an artificial heart. At 1:56 AM, the surgery was declared a success. Several minutes later, Citizen Sanchez's body rejected the heart and he died. Peacefully and comfortably. Next question?"   
  
"Was there anything you could have tried that you did not?" A voice shouted from the back.   
  
"Countless. Next question?" He spat. He was beginning to hate them; the reporters, not the questions. Bobby was keeping quiet. He seemed to be taking in the others and the attitude that Doc was carrying.   
  
"Is it true this is your first patient loss since the war?"   
  
"Yes, Citizen Sanchez is the first patient to have died under my care since the beginning of the Bug War twelve years ago. Next question?" That last one cut deep. It reminded Doc of the weight he was going to be carrying from now on, that one, and the importance of that one.   
  
"Is it true that Citizen Sanchez asked for you personally?" Higgins finally spoke up, thrusting his receiver in Doc's face.   
  
"Yes, I was contacted at 12:23 AM and arrived at 12:56 AM, prepped and fully aware of Citizen Sanchez's condition. Now, I think that's it, I'm exhausted people. You can get more when the full report comes out." Again, dozens of questions began to swarm up and around him, engulfing him in doubt. He moved behind the MI again and began to make his way to his office before he heard Higgins.   
  
"Hey! I'm an old friend, you can ask him! Don't you recognize me? You should know who I am!" Is what Doc heard, along with more. He smiled and turned around to see two of the guards holding him under his arms.   
  
"No, its okay let him come." Doc said. The two guards released Higgins and helped him steady himself. He fixed his suit and tie and walked past them, which caused an up roar from the rest of the press. Higgins and Doc embraced quickly and entered his office.   
  


*****

  
Robert Higgins sat down in one of the soft chairs in Doc's personal office. He was stunned at how little his friend had aged in the past ten years. The last time they had all been together was when Jonnie and Dizzy had been married, almost seven years ago. But Higgins tried to forget those times because they were better.   
  
Doc and Higgins sat across from each other two hours before Doc was forced to have to retire. They talked about all of Doc's surgical victories, the squad and what everyone was doing, while carefully avoiding the subject of Jonnie and Dizzy. They also discussed Higgins's experience in the Journalistic field and the awards he's won while also becoming a household name all over the known galaxy (and possibly beyond).   
  
Higgins left the hospital as it started to pour down rain. A flash of something in his minds eye caught him stopping and looking into the sky. Something or someone had called his name. Hadn't they?   
  


*****

  
Charlie Zim awoke at the behest of his bladder around 5:30 AM Honolulu standard. After relieving himself he realized that the opposite side of the bed was empty. He walked out of his bed room and into the dark hallway of his private home. The light was on in the study which meant Miriam was awake. She wasn't usually awake this early, she didn't have to be at HQ until 0900 and being a former MI, she always took in as much sleep as she could. You never knew when the next time you would be able to sleep would come. So her being awake and in the study was very peculiar.   
  
He entered the study to see her sitting at the desk facing the far wall reading over countless reports. Time had done its job on both of them, but Zim still found her beautiful. She was still in her night clothes but she was wide awake.   
  
"Shouldn't you be in bed Charlie?" She asked without turning around.   
  
"I could ask you the same thing." He said with a smile. He stepped next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Burning the midnight oil, huh?"   
  
"Not exactly." She answered. "I'm going over personnel reports and troop movements. Charlie, we're spread to thin. Sanchez divided us up too much, and the Skinnies haven't been able to fully integrate our hyper drive into their systems yet, they have only three ships where we have over two hundred. They can only control their system with any force, beyond that is dangerous."   
  
"Well do you want to plan to do?" Zim asked grabbing one of the reports. It was from Klendathu, arrived last night. It was asking for seventeen more troops to fill ranks in squads after a brain thought he would be brave and sent out several hundred warriors all over the planet.   
  
"What can I do?" She asked.   
  
"Pull some back, recuperate. Build our forces up then continue the expansion." He suggested pulling up a chair as he continued to look at the report from Klendathu.   
  
Miriam put her head in her hands. "And have every colonial governor barking up my tree." She looked at Zim. "And Sanchez wouldn't be able to support me."   
  
"Why not?" Zim bellowed. He threw the report back on the desk. "That old battle axe still has fight and influence. What, did he not get his medication this month?"   
  
"I guess not, he died earlier." She said, the sadness filling her voice. "Heart failure."   
  
"Oh." Was all Zim could muster at the moment. "Well, the old battle axe finally bought his piece."   
  
Miriam picked up the report Zim had been holding. "This is one of fifteen like it. All are from planets once held by the bugs."   
  
Zim grabbed the report and began to flip through the pages. "It can't mean it."   
  
"Charlie, they're coming back. These are scouting raids to test our defensive capabilities. And I'm afraid that we may not be able to stop them this time."   
  
"But the queen is dead." Zim said, still stunned.   
  
"We never knew if there were more than one or not. It was something we'd always questioned."   
  
"Miriam, we've seen this before. Maybe not to this extent, but we've seen it before." Zim said softly trying to ease his wife. "We have beaten the Bugs, they're not coming back."   
  
"I hope you're right Charlie. But I think we may need to start getting plans ready, just in case." She said.   
  
"I agree." Zim said. He took his wife's hand and looked at the clock on the desk. "Want to watch the sun?" He asked softly with a smile. It was a softness only Miriam knew, and she loved it.   
  
"Of course." She said standing. She led him by the hand outside to a wooden swing on the porch. The two sat for a while, holding each other in their arms and watched as the sun came up over the horizon. The orange and red and yellow all melted together into one beautiful kaleidoscope of colors. Zim held his wife tightly and just stared in awe at the beauty of the Earth. He was ready at any time to defend his home with his life.   
  


*****

  
"What do you think this is Grayson, a vacation?" Senior Drill Instructor Sergeant Max Brutto shouted. He grabbed the kid in front of him by the ear and began to run. "You think you can slack and run at your pace when you have a swarm of bugs on your tail?"   
  
"Sir, no sir!" the boy shouted trying to keep up, but Max pulled in different directions.   
  
"Do you think that you're better than the rest of your squad?" Max shouted. The sun was just coming up. His company had been on morning march since about 3:00 AM Honolulu time. The training base wasn't Camp Currie, but it was sufficient. He liked the kids, but they were lazy, cocky. Just because SICON had beaten the Bugs, the new troopers thought they could do anything. Cocky.   
  
"Sir, no sir!" The kid yelled in pain.   
  
"In battle, the ape next to you is your life. What happens if you're not there? That ape buys it because you're too pretty and special to run with the rest of them!" Max released the kid's ear and let him run with the rest. "Keep pace maggot!"   
  
They were running around the beach of the island, some people were beginning to wake up and come to the beaches for their daily routine. The MI were frequently seen running around the beaches on these marches, everyone knew they'd be gone before it got too busy. Shop keepers were opening up while restraints were setting exterior tables and umbrellas. Some people were already in the water, swimming, surfing, fishing, whatever they wanted to do. The island was peaceful and happy, many people had forgotten about the war.   
  
Max ran the recruits as hard as he could until they reached the base. They got there just in time for morning chow. Max settled in his tent and changed uniforms. He was ready to begin torturing the recruits again. He'd noticed that Skinnie recruits were becoming more of a rarity. Ever since they'd began constructing their own ships, they began training their own people in their own way, and from what Max was hearing, they were pretty good. But for now, he'd settle for the way it had been done for generations, the way it had been done when he was a recruit.   
  
He showered and changed uniforms quickly and went back to the mess tent for his breakfast. It was just another day. Like they all were and all would be.   
  


*****

  
Isabelle Flores didn't sleep like she should. Even though being a trooper had taught him to appreciate sleep more than anything, she still got only about three hours a night. She had been up since five; it was now nine in the morning. She looked out the window of her apartment in San Francisco at the bridge.   
  
She remembered that day when she had seen that bridge and the pain it had brought. She missed all her friends, and her former husband, even though the anger between them caused her to for go any contact with him, even though it hurt them both. She missed the child she'd never had, and the life she wanted to have. But plans and time change, life had taught her that. Just when you think it's going to work out, life throws something in the way to mess everything up. It had always been that way for Dizzy.   
  
She quickly drank her orange juice and headed for the door, grabbing her running shoes. She was dressed in a pair of shorts and tank top and ready to run until she passed out, which to her dismay, never ever happened. She stopped by the door and put her shoes on and left.   
  
She ran and ran and ran. She didn't know why she ran all the time, but she always felt better, at least until she stopped running. She never wanted to stop running, it always made things easier. Today she ran across half the city and then back. And when she got back, she felt no better. She wanted the pain to go away.   
  


*****

  
Ambassador Francis Brutto looked at the vid screen. His old friend T'Phai was there looking back at him. T'Phai had barely just caught him before he was going out to lunch. It was about noon in Hawaii, and Brutto wanted his food. But the news T'Phai had delivered troubled him. He'd received a message from Carl this morning and it was addressed to Rico. But Carl was missing, and Rico was on assignment somewhere in the outer territories. T'Phai was trying to get Brutto to help get him some information.   
  
"I'm telling you T'Phai, there's no way I could get that information." Brutto said exasperated. T'Phai kept pushing it.   
  
"You do not understand," T'Phai said looking straight through Brutto. "There is something going on Sergeant. Something beyond us, beyond you, beyond me, beyond Rico. This may be what helps—"   
  
"T'Phai, Carl is gone! We have a ship trying to trace him, but it's next to impossible, the trail is too old. And Rico, Lord only knows. When he went on assignment, the situation between him and Flores caused him to be able to get someone to mask his movements. Any time we ever hear about Rico and the Roughnecks is when it's in the news, and then it's usually a week after he's already done what's being reported. He's a ghost."   
  
T'Phai let out a sigh. "Maybe I can get to the Sky Marshall and she could help me get in touch with the major."   
  
"She's going to be at Sanchez's funeral. He died last night." Brutto said weakly, trying not to think to hard about Sanchez.   
  
"Yes...I heard." T'Phai said brokenly.   
  
"T'Phai, I'll try to see what I can do but I can't give you any promises." Brutto said defeated.   
  
"My thanks friend. I will try what I can do also." T'Phai put his hand up and waved it in the Tophetti gesture for good byes used for those who were cared for deeply. Brutto returned the gesture and the screen was replaced by the SICON insignia.   
  
Francis Brutto pulled back from his desk and hovered over to the window. He could see the streets lined with people to pay their respects to Julio Sanchez. The funeral progression would arrive within the hour. It was enough time for him to get lunch and be at the burial grounds with time to spare.   
  
He left unable to shake the feeling that something was coming. It was something T'Phai had begun to say but he'd cut his friend off and now he wished he hadn't. He hoped that what ever Jenkins was up to, it would answer questions before it got too late.   
  


*****

  
Admiral Carmen Ibanez put down her portable vid screen as the twenty one gun salute ended at Citizen Sanchez's funeral. She was riding in a lift to the main pylon of the dry dock. Port R. Mitchell in geo-synchronous orbit above Geneva, which meant, it was almost night here. She continued to ride upwards quickly; she was the only passenger in her lift.   
  
She had gotten orders as she was preparing to leave for the funeral. She pulled them out of her pocket and read them again.   
  
Admiral Ibanez is ordered to report to her ship at 1900 hours. Further orders upon arrival.  
Sky Marshall Redwing-Zim  
    Ship Name: _Jean Razak_  
    Serial Number: 207-A  
    Model: Armada Class  
    Classification: Transport/Battle Cruiser   
  
The _Jean Razak_. The name still stuck out in her mind more than anything. She knew about the ship where many didn't. She had helped design its propulsion and helming controls as part of a group of pilots who had fought during the Bug War. The ship was the fastest ever built, the best armed, the largest, it could run circles around the _Valley Forge_. His weapons were state of the art and he carried a crew of more than three hundred, not counting the ten MI squads he could hold. He could take on enough munitions and supplies to take a planet with minimal support if needed, alone if necessary. The _Jean Razak_ was the best ship to ever be built. And now she was to command him. She felt like a little kid in a candy store.   
  
Even the classification of the ship of 'he' was something new. They were classified them as such because of their massive upgrade from previous ships, and their names. There were three more being completed, but the _Jean Razak_ was the best of them and finished first. The others; the _Joseph Marlowe_, the _Zander Barcalowe_, and the _Chester Nimitz_, were all to be completed within the year.   
  
Carmen looked up as the tube left the superstructure of the port. In front of her was the most beautiful ship she had ever seen in her life. The front of the ship resembled the older model ships in that they were still pointed, but the edges were more rounded, and the bridge sat off to the left side when facing it. The communications antennae were arranged so that none interfered with each other, as had often happened on older ships. The spine of the ship was reinforced with armor. The engines of the ship were raised above the rest of the ship but arranged in a similar fashion as on the older ships. Carmen was already in love with her ship.   
  
The lift reentered the super structure but quickly stopped. The doors parted and she was greeted by sight of sailors getting ready to disembark. Carmen was interested in finding out as much as she could. The _Jean Razak_ wasn't scheduled to disembark on his first mission for at least another week. She exited the ship and passed several Tophetti sailors who quickly saluted. Carmen nodded and continued on. The process was repeated several times before she reached the air lock and entered her ship.   
  
She arrived in her quarters and deposited her bag on the bed and began to look around. The clock on the wall told her she was early so she would take the time to tour the rest of the ship. Sure, she was up to date on all the specs, but an actual visual tour would help her to get to know her ship better. She left her room and found two Tophetti walking down the hall. They quickly saluted and moved out of her path. She smiled and nodded as she passed and continued on her way. She had forgotten that the _Jean Razak_ was a mixed ship with both human and Tophetti sailors, though the latter were quickly becoming more and more rare as they opted to sail aboard their own ships.   
  
Carmen had seen a Tophetti ship before. They were a marvel, for the Tophetti; the ships were long and resembled a barracuda, but with more bite. They were as fast as the old ships, but had more punch. They could hold more troopers and even had a special deck for humans if the need arose.   
  
Carmen toured her ship, except for the Tophetti only deck, which was heated at 170 degrees Fahrenheit and had a methane atmosphere; she would tour that one when she had more time. She arrived in her office; it was just opposite the bridge and had a great 180 degree view of the area around her. The orders were flashing on her screen. She quickly gave her identification and read the orders in horror. She turned around and stared down at Earth and began to cry. The nightmares were going to return.   
  
  
UNKNOWN   
  
Jonnie Rico watched on the vid the burial of former Sky Marshal Sanchez. It was delayed by about an hour this far from Earth, but it was still real. Most of his old squad mates were there, even the Serge. He knew that the human race had lost a great man; it was a dark day for SICON.   
  
He switched his vid off and walked out of the mess hall of the _Threshold_. The _Threshold_ was a bug war era transport/destroyer. It was smaller than the _Valley Forge_ but bigger than the 'great' _Roger Young_. She was a tough ship and had taken her licks in battle quite a few times recently.   
  
Rico retired to his quarters and sat down at his small metal desk. The reports were always finding their way to him. The Bugs wouldn't leave him alone. Everything was so cold. All the reports were showing an increase of bug activity, which was odd, but not unheard of, they happened all the time and in no particular pattern. Redwing always sent him copies of reports relating to what was going on where.   
  
Rico really wanted to go home to his wife and son, but neither were waiting for him. He wished for the simpler times too. The times when he knew what he was doing, when everything was one way or the other. Times changed and they changed the people caught up in them.   
  
Rico put down the Klendathu report and climbed into his bed. In two days he'd be attacking another planet with the Roughnecks, his Roughnecks, and the other squads on board. They all answered to him, but he gave their LT's pretty much free reign as to what happened to their squads. Things ran better and more efficiently that way. He fell into a fitful sleep plagued not by the bugs, but the life he never had.   
  
  
EDEN   
  
Governor Howard Williams watched former Sky Marshal Sanchez's funeral with his family in the comfort of his private home outside the capital city of the Eden colony. It had been ten years since the planet had been taken from the bugs, and the human race was adapting the planet quickly to their needs. Eden was a lush green planet with plenty of opportunities for anyone who wanted to take advantage of them and a haven for those wishing to flee their past. None of them were criminals of course, but just those who needed a fresh start.   
  
Howard loved his home, it wasn't Earth, but it was very close. He watched the salute to the fallen and was reminded of his request he'd sent out two days earlier. The bug problem had been under control on Eden for years, but every now and then, there's a minor problem. In one such problem he lost five of his troopers, leaving his garrison at only around thirty, give or take one. SICON had squandered itself after the war, and now they were paying the price.   
  
The bugs showed their head every once in a while. A farmer in the south had even claimed to have shot and killed four of them when they were in his fields. Howard didn't doubt it, most of the farmers on the planet were former MI, they knew how to handle them. He watched the rest of the funeral with mild interest, the former Sky Marshal had done wrong by his book, given, he was doing what he thought was right, but he had done wrong. Redwing had only been Sky Marshal for a year now, but Howard held hope, change took time.   
  
Howard turned the vid off and walked out side. It was sunny, mid afternoon on the planet that had a 34 hour day, once you got used to it, it was nice. He kissed his wife and two young sons good bye and left for the capital building in his hover car. He arrived early and went to his office to go over the reports that had arrived that day. He was sitting in his chair drinking a small glass of whiskey when his secretary burst through the door.   
  
"Michelle, what's the meaning of this?" He yelled standing from his desk and spilling his drink.   
  
"I'm sorry sir, but you have to see this." She led him out of his office onto the observation deck on the south end of the building. To their immediate south was smoke blacker than the darkest night. Rifle fire echoed between the buildings along with the teeth biting screech of warrior bugs. Howard looked in horror as he also saw a plasma bug lumbering around behind the smoke. He rushed back to his office and punched up the MI barracks. The face of a gruff colonel quickly replaced the SICON insignia.   
  
"What is it governor, I'm a little busy." The Colonel spat.   
  
"What is going on out there colonel?" Howard bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Why is there black smoke and why am I seeing and hearing bugs getting closer to the city?"   
  
"Surprise raid, the smoke was used to confuse them, we have two squads en route to assist, the problem should be taken care of within the hour." The colonel turned and spoke to one of his aides then turned back.   
  
"See that it is colonel, I do not want any bugs getting into my city. Am I understood?" Howard stared at the colonel, he wasn't afraid of him, he too had once been an MI, and he'd barely made it out alive and intact.   
  
"Crystal, sir." The colonel cut the transmission.   
  
Howard sighed and went back to the observation deck and looked out over the battle field. The colonel was right; the problem was taken care of in an hour, but two more casualties. The recent increase in bug activity made Howard nervous, and he made sure he noted that in his daily report to SICON HQ.   
  
  
TESCA NEMEROSA   
  
The sounds of battle had not echoed on Tesca Nemerosa's face in over eleven years, but still, SICON kept the planet prepared. She was regaining most of her population and the wounds of the battles were almost non visible. The MI considered an assignment to Zegima Beach a plush job, and any fleet personnel who found their way were just as pleased. Nice beaches, wonderful camping areas, beautiful wildlife, everything Earth was and then some. Colonization was not set to begin for another two years and already corporations were trying to stake their claims.   
  
Civilians and citizens often visited in small numbers, the civilians to see the battle fields, the citizens to pay homage to fallen friends. Either way you looked at it, Nemerosa was a vacation spot waiting to happen. The main reason for the hesitation on colonization was the countless outcries against it by citizens who viewed the place as sacred because of what had happened there. SICON was going to painstaking efforts to please everyone, and within two years, it looked like it will achieve it.   
  
Corporal Weisman looked over the main wall of the Zegima Beach outpost. He watched the birds sing and fly through the air as the sun reflected off of the water with gentle beauty. He hadn't been in the MI when the Tesca Campaign was in full, but he hoped after being stationed on the planet that it would never again be bothered by the sounds of war and death. Its beauty was too spectacular to be allowed to be corrupted by the bug's tyranny. He sighed and went to his barracks, he had patrol with his squad in twenty, he needed to get ready. They never knew what they would find in the jungle, but Weisman sure about one thing, he'd keep the bugs from taking the beautiful planet, or die trying.   
  
  
LOVELL A-19   
  
No one had noticed when the two dozen transport bugs had entered the Lovell Asteroid Field six years ago and dropped off an egg and the last of the bug armies on the largest asteroid in the field, Lovell A-19. Lovell A-19 was a barren gray rock roughly half the size of Earth's Moon and was the perfect spot for the new queen to be laid. It was outside the Terran reach and patrols, it was secluded, but most of all, it was large enough for her to begin to rebuild. After she reached the age to begin laying eggs, about five years before, she began laying eggs at a rate her mother could not, over one hundred and twenty an hour.   
  
She quickly grew, as did her armies. Her production of eggs increased as she aged; soon she was at 205 every hour. She out grew Lovell and moved to other asteroids and began making them all her bases. She had transports move certain ones into orbits to provide protection for A-19 itself; others were made into refueling bases or departure bases. Some asteroids were designated for her spawn who could spawn, rippler queens and plasma queens mainly, and a few tanker queens. Soon, she had established hives on the two hundred largest asteroids and even more on the smaller ones.   
  
It was almost time for her to begin her offensive. She was ready to crush the Terran forces with one swift blow, she had lain over 10 million of her own, and added to the approximate twenty million that were still spread out over the galaxy under the control of her generals, none could align themselves until she was prepared. She had thirty of her new transport bugs ready to leave, each with hundreds of thousands of her minions. All she needed was another month and everything would be ready. But then it happened, in a split moment, everything came close to an end.   
  
She had sent out a message to all of her generals that were left, several on Klendathu and another dozen stretched out across the galaxy. Two messages in fact, one to test the Terrans. It had gone by without them knowing, and then, in a split moment, maybe from pride and anxiety, she sent another message, this one of her plans, and he heard it. He didn't hear her whisper, but her taunt was caught by the only one who could have possibly heard it, and now, he was coming, and he made sure she knew that.   
  
Now she was rushed to complete her preparations. She made sure that the maturation of her forces was down to the least amount of time so that they would be ready to fight quicker. She was beginning to grow nervous. He had almost killed her mother and had been responsible for the deaths of several of her top generals in the past. He was the only being she truly feared, and now, he was hunting her. She was having her generals' conduct raiding parties more frequently, trying to throw the Terrans off guard, anything to give her an advantage.   
  
She had planned to make him her personal pet, something for her to toy with, but now, he had turned the tables on her. She was supposed to be the one hunting him. She began to have her transports loaded with her minions and supplies. Her best generals were ready to take the fight to the Terrans. Even though she was being rushed in the final preparations, she would have her revenge.   
  
  
"Master Sun Said…   
'The Way of War is  
    A Way of Deception  
  
    When able,  
    Feign inability;  
  
  
    When deploying troops,  
    Appear not to be.'"  
  
  
_The Art of War_: Chapter 1:22; Sunzi 


	2. Episode 2: For Whom the Bell Tolls

"The Reunion"  
Episode 202 - For Whom the Bell Tolls  
D-Minus 10 Days  
  
  
  
"When Jonnie Rico first went into deep space to hunt bugs, he went because his home had called for it, and that was the way the MI thought. But after the death of his child, it became something more. Some say and excuse, other say he was running. But I knew Jonnie well enough to know that it was neither of those, nor the countless other things that people speculated about. It was simple: after the death of his child and the divorce from his wife, Dizzy, the MI was the only thing he had left."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_   
  
  
ARMSTRONG PRIME - A-172   
  
It was cold. It was always cold. While the suits were designed to keep the trooper at a comfortable temperature, he was always cold, a numbness that never disappeared. Major John Rico flexed his fingers in his gloves around his gun. _Always Cold_. He thought to himself. He motioned for two troops to move to the left. They obeyed. He ran in front of them and took four shots that dropped the warrior standing there. _Always!_ He thought again. The two troopers rushed out and covered Rico from all sides.   
  
"Muniz, Kepler, report?" Rico said as he walked to the bug. The soft dirt compressed under his boots as he walked over it. The landscape of the moon designated A 172, in orbit around Armstrong Prime, was a desolate place. Rocky, with blue and gray stretching for kilometer after kilometer. Mountains and spires of rock stretched into the coldness of space. _Cold_. Rico thought again as he stepped up to the bug and the two troopers took position around him, one was Tophetti, L'Ioo and the other was from Ireland, Murphy. Both were good troopers and worked hard with what they were given, which in recent times, was not enough. _SICON is killing us_. Rico thought as he bit down to send another transmission.   
  
"Muniz, Kepler! REPORT!'' Rico bellowed. L'Ioo and Murphy took a few steps back. They knew that Rico was sometimes accustomed to quick bursts like this when things didn't go the way he was used too. They exchanged a brief glance then both moved a few feet away to survey for bugs.   
  
Rico looked to his south, the location they were closing in on. A small bug mound, maybe a few hundred inside, nothing that wasn't easy with the weapons they had. But the fact remained that a mound that size could have easily been destroyed back during the Bug War. _But no, SICON needs to watch their budget! Rico thought. SICON needs too make sure that EVERYTHING is okay! Give me this many troops! Razak would have barked up someone's tree to get what he knew he needed!_ Rico caught himself on Razak. His old LT, the man who had taught him everything he knew. He looked at the bug at his feet and took a few more shots into it to express his anger. L'Ioo and Murphy rushed back up to him, weapons ready.   
  
"No," He said holding a hand up. "It's okay, just a little venting…KEPLER! MUNIZ! ANSWER ME!" Rico finished with that and dropped his arms in frustration and let his head hang, shaking it slightly from disbelief. _I swear_—   
  
Muniz's voice burst through Rico's comm. "Major Rico? Major Rico, respond please. Major Rico—"   
  
Rico cut him off. "Muniz, where are you? What's your status?"   
  
"Pinned down, sir! We've got about thirty bugs around us; we're just west of the mound, next to a large crater, sir! We've been trying to respond, but every time—!"   
  
"Hold it trooper!'' Rico flipped his visor down and started to scan around the area where Muniz reported his location to be. He scanned for a few moments before he saw Muniz firing aimlessly into about ten or so bugs, one or two were dead lying in the dirt, but he wasn't actually hitting any of the others. Private Kepler was in the fetal position, rocking back and forth, his gun at his feet.   
  
"Trooper! Look where you're shooting!" Rico ordered.   
  
Muniz ducked back and spoke. "Sir, there's too many of them!"   
  
_This is what SICON is giving me now_. Rico began walking towards the crater, slowly, letting his anger be shown through his movements.   
  
"If those bugs aren't dead by the time I get there trooper, you're in big trouble!" Rico motioned for L'Ioo and Murphy to form up. They began to run ahead of him. "Hold it! He'll be fine."   
  
"But sir—" L'Ioo started.   
  
"He'll be fine." Rico repeated and continued on his leisurely pace towards Muniz and Kepler. Murphy and L'Ioo nervously formed around Rico. _Another day, another battle, another waste of time. Another day since … _That thought caused him to shake his head and swallow, keeping the tears at bay.   
  
He watched as Muniz would poke his head above the edge of the crater and take another shot at the bugs, still keeping at bay. As he watched them, Rico noticed they were toying with Muniz and Kepler. Taunting him, maybe confused, but something was not right. He'd seen it before…lure the enemy out and…   
  
Rico broke into a run. The low gravity of the moon made it easy to sprint the distance and jump into the hole next to Muniz and Kepler. Murphy and L'Ioo arrived right behind Rico, kicking up a thing cloud of dust around them, obstructing the bugs from view for a few seconds.   
  
"Sir, I'm sorry, I'm—" Muniz began.   
  
Rico gave him the signal to quiet, but he continued to mumble under his breath. Kepler was still rocking back and forth, shaking his head and mumbling too. Rico put his hand on his shoulder and Kepler stopped and looked up. Rico motioned for him to be quiet and pick up his gun. Kepler swallowed hard and nodded. He slowly inched his hand towards the gun a few feet from his body.   
  
The Major then whispered: "Okay, you four cover me, when I give the mark, count to five then follow, clear?"   
  
They all nodded.   
  
Rico flexed his grip again. _Cold, I'm tired of the cold_. He thought. He took a deep breath then stood up. The bugs, standard warriors, backed off a few feet then moved forward again, about three or four meters from the edge of the crater. Toying. Baiting. Rico smiled, just like the old days, but if he only had a few more troops, this would work perfectly. He moved up and over the edge then took a few shots and ran a few feet. He watched as the bugs mirrored the movement in the opposite direction. Rico smiled again. _Toy_. Rico then jumped forward.   
  
"Mark!" He screamed.   
  
He ran into the middle of the bugs. _1_. He passed them, and they began pursuit, rapidly gaining. _2_. Rico jumped over a large rock then turned to his left, around a huge boulder sticking from the ground. _3_. The power suit and low gravity were making this easy. He rounded the corner again, slipping slightly in the lightly pack dirt of the moon _4_, leading the bugs right where he wanted them. To the left, right where he knew they would come, the ground began to shake and crumble beneath him. _5!_ He thought, continuing to run, sprinting the distance easily. He jumped into another crater and moved himself to begin firing.   
  
The sight in front of him made him slightly nostalgic. About fifty bugs, running towards his position. He trained his gun and squeezed the trigger. He smiled when he saw the rounds fly from the muzzle and impact on the bugs, making some stop in there tracks as rounds pierced their thick hides, some dropped dead instantly. The four troops rounded the corner to meet the sight of about forty bugs. They opened fire and slowly began moving forward, closing in around the bugs.   
  
One after another, the bugs dropped; soon it was twenty, then ten, then one, completely surrounded by five troopers. It snapped and hissed as the troops moved in. Rico trained his gun steadily. The bug turned to him and snapped. Rico quickly squeezed and released the trigger and let a pulse round fly into the bug's nerve cluster, dropping it with little hesitation. He lowered his gun and looked at the other troopers. Murphy dropped to his knees taking deep breaths, a beaded sweat on his face. L'Ioo seemed to be the only one who really appreciated what had just happened, but that's the way 'Skinnies' were. Kepler had passed out not to long after rounding the corner and Muniz was trying to get him awake.   
  
Rico sat in the soft dirt and leaned back against the rock. Murphy and L'Ioo both began surveying the dead bugs, shooting a few that were still alive. He smiled; the action reminded him of ten years ago, a simpler time perhaps. Rico waited a moment, taking in the surroundings, his mind stuck in a euphoric, nostalgic state. He turned to see Kepler getting to his feet, his legs were shaking, his pale face covered in sweat.   
  
"Kepler?" Rico shouted, startling the dazed Kepler.   
  
"Y-yes sir?" He responded, his voice weak and shaky. The tone of fear of what Rico may do and the thought of having to face more bugs in just a few moments.   
  
"You do that again, I leave you where you fall." Rico had no plan of leaving the trooper; he needed everyone he could get with all the cut backs the MI was receiving. _SICON…_ But he knew that a small amount fear from the thought being left behind in this hell would stimulate the timid trooper.   
  
Rico looked around the four others formed up around him, their armor covered with the green of blood from the bugs. Rico surveyed them all for a moment before he knew they were ready to go.   
  
"Okay apes, let's move out!" he ordered, taking point across the blue and gray landscape. In the distance, Rico could see four other squads moving towards the hive. He frowned. _Always behind…_Rico thought to himself. ''Okay troops, lets pick up the pace, we're falling behind!'' All the troops broke into a run, easily moving across the landscape through the low gravity.   
  
Rico moved easily across the jutted landscape, rocks and boulders filling his path. He would push lightly and propel himself ten, twelve feet in the air and avoid collision with the inhospitable terrain. The horizon to the north; only four miles away one the tiny landscape was a glow with the amazing purple and yellow of the moon's two sons.   
  
He landed with a thud in front of a large boulder, still about three hundred yards from the hive. It's large rocky mass stretching into the infinity of space. The other four landed behind him and took up positions.   
  
"Forward!" Rico barked and all five began a steady pace towards the hive. To the east, Rico could see two other squads moving in, firing at a stream of bugs coming from a hole that had opened. Two hundred yards to the hive and the ground began to shake. Rico held his hand up and the others stopped. Soon the ground split apart and several warriors swarmed out. Rico quickly took three down, while six more were taken out collectively. The green blood was squirting out from the arteries and flying large distances in the low gravity; soon all the troopers were covered with it. After only a few moment of the 'fighting', the bugs were all dead. Rico surveyed the area; the other two squads continued forward and were almost to the hive.   
  
"Anyone want this one?" Rico shouted indicating towards the large hole. L'Ioo and Murphy stepped forward and jumped into the hole. There was a moment of silence the sound of gunfire echoing through the headset on Rico's ears then silence.   
  
"Status?" Rico asked kneeling at the lip of the hole.   
  
"All clear, sir." Murphy came back.   
  
"Roger."   
  
Rico jumped down into the hole, followed closely by Kepler and Muniz. They all dropped in and aimed their rifles in all directions. Rico saw the bodies of six dead arachnid warriors clogging a fork in the caves. Rico smiled. _These two would have gone far during the war_. Rico thought to himself. Rico walked past the two and took point. He flipped his visor down and took a life scan. All the bugs were moving towards the interior of the hive, which meant that it would be a walk before they saw anymore action. Rico flipped his visor back up.   
  
"Forward!" Rico shouted. He began moving towards the fork, the five others falling in behind him. Rico let the elation rush through him; this is the way it was supposed to be. _Not as cold as before now._   
  


*****

  
On board the _Threshold_ the crew was monitoring the battle on the surface of the moon with mild boredom. It was a standard thing now, find a small planet/moon/asteroid with a few bugs on it, send out a task force and wipe it clean. This was the slow extermination of the species as it was. Some people argued about it back on Earth, how justified was this? Many said that this was beyond the war and deep into genocide, while supporters argued just the opposite. They pointed out that this was what the bugs had tried, it was a simple war; the victor would be the strongest in the galaxy, while the loser would cease to exist. That simple.   
  
The crew went about their duties as they had too; much of it was sloppy at best, a haphazard job. No one really cared anymore, the fear was gone, and there was nothing to really push the ships to be in tip-top shape anymore. The biggest remaining bug colonies numbered in the hundreds, not the hundred thousands as in the war. Many of the crewmen would be late to his shift, and as before, such faults could cost lives, now at most they would cost an hour of travel time. It wasn't the same as it had been; it wasn't what it should be.   
  
Captain Michael O'Hare was sitting lazily in his chair, bored, his stern, hard cut features almost sagging from the lack of activity. His military-style hair was flat against his head, instead of spiked like many kept theirs, and his face trimmed short, stubble only slightly coming through. He scratched his jaw and yawned as he looked at the readouts in front of him, troop movements on the surface were going well. All eight squads were moving into the center of the hive, closing in for the kill. He rubbed his temples; it was the same thing week after week. Never ending. _How long is this war going to drag on?_ He thought to himself as he looked again at the displays. Rico's squad was cleaning out the tunnels underneath the hive. _So like Rico._ Michael thought with a smile.   
  
Rico had come on to his ship about two years before, with a squad of eight, fully fitted and ready to fight. The first month or two was easy, taking out bug hives in the inner sectors of Federation Space. Then it was downhill from there. SICON begin instituting their "Post-war" projects, which took valuable resources away from the squads and ships. It was hell trying to get accustomed to the downsizing. It had hit the MI especially hard.   
  
Michael watched as the other squads began their descent into the tunnels, a few minutes behind Rico. Michael diverted his attention to survey the rest of the bridge around him. The crew was young, very few from the war. These young ones needed something to stimulate them. Unfortunately, nothing in the current times could do it.   
  
The crewman at the communications station suddenly jumped and pressed the earpiece hard against his ear. He began nodding, then turned to Michael.   
  
"Cap'n, we've got a priority vid message for Major Rico, sir." He said matter-of-factly.   
  
Michael turned his chair to face the man directly. Michael knew that his looks always scared the crew. "Major Rico's on the surface ensign."   
  
"Yes, sir, I relayed that message, they said it's high priority that the Major be retrieved ASAP." The crewman said meekly.   
  
"Where's the message from?"   
  
"Tophet, sir." The crewman spoke up after checking the instruments.   
  
"Relay that the Major is due back at 1000 hours ensign."   
  
"Aye, sir." The crewman turned and faced the panels again. He spoke his message then cringed as if yelling was coming through the speakers. "Sir, he wishes to speak to you."   
  
"Put him on." Michael said, a small vid screen hummed to life in front of him. The image of an aging Tophetti quickly replaced the SICON insignia. "I am Captain…"   
  
The Tophetti quickly interrupted him. "I know who you are Captain O'Hare! I am Consul T'Phai of the Tophetti Alliance. Where is Major Rico? I must speak with him at once!"   
  
"Major Rico is on the moon below us, sir. He is currently indisposed at the moment." Michael replied. He realized now who T'Phai was, and that he was an old friend of Rico's. "He's currently in operation. He will be returning to the ship around oh-ten hundred tonight. If you wish…"   
  
"What I wish is not of concern. I must speak with the Major now! It is of grave importance." T'Phai show back.   
  
"I'm sure it is, sir. But I cannot retrieve the Major in the middle of an operation. I know you were a soldier once, sir, you must understand that?"   
  
"I do, but you're also asking me to understand that it is no longer standard procedure to establish a base camp before moving troops. Why is that? Cannot the Major be recalled to the base?" T'Phai asked.   
  
Michael bit his lip. The Tophetti had caught him. He knew he could get a hold of Rico, that was easy, but paper work and time and other bureaucratic dealings were pushing him to deny the Tophetti. "No, sir…"   
  
"Then send a message to Major Rico to return to the camp so that I may speak with him. Or shall I report this to SICON Headquarters? I do not think you understand Captain O'Hare what trouble I was forced to go through to find your location. Many favors were called in, and now, even more are owed."   
  
"No, sir! That is unnecessary; I will send a message to the Major. You must understand that it's going to cost both me and him paper work and time."   
  
"I believe that the paper work will pale in comparison." T'Phai said looking Michael dead in the eye. "I will wait for your signal that the Major is ready." T'Phai finished. The screen went blank and was replaced with the SICON insignia. Michael fell back into his chair and closed his eyes.   
  
The communications officer spoke up sir. "Shall I send the message, sir?"   
  
"Of course ensign."   
  


*****

  
Jonnie jumped out from the alcove he was hiding in. He ducked and rolled across the dirt and into a rock. He heard the _thwap thwap thwap_ of the poison darts striking the dirt behind him. He uncurled and fired off two rounds directly into a rippler. The thing dropped from the air like a rock. Muniz dived out and took out a warrior that was behind Rico. It dropped to the ground with a puff of dust from the ground. Murphy and Kepler rushed out and hit the rock Rico was against. Several warriors jumped down from a ledge above them and began moving towards them, immediately troops began firing into the bugs. L'Ioo began firing from behind the bugs, pelting them with bullets, sending them into the dirt. One by one, the five troopers moves around the rock and towards the center of the hive.   
  
Rico stood to his feet as Muniz went around the rock. He popped his neck and ran into the fray. The sight that greeted him was not the one he expected; six or seven tankers in the center and about five hundred warriors running towards the entrances. Weapons fire was pouring in from all over the place. Troops had positioned themselves behind walls, boulders, dead bugs, anything. Hoppers screamed from the higher reaches of the cave. Rico saw one fall upon one unfortunate trooper and take his head clear off. Rico rushed forward and jumped about ten feet over a small stream. He landed with a thud and he hit his knees and began firing into the warriors. Murphy came up beside him and began to fire into the onslaught. One of the tankers spewed its acid in the direction of some troops taking cover in an alcove. The acid melted some of the rock and a trooper jumped out and threw a grenade into the center. Rico watched as the grenade bounced then exploded and blew two legs off of a tanker. Rico let a brief smile before he unloaded seven rounds into the nerve cluster of warrior about ten feet from him, sending its blood all over him and making it drop dead. Rico jumped to his feet and moved forward towards the center, firing into more bugs. Three of the tankers were dead on the ground, their blood and acid spewing on the ground.   
  
Rico knelt as his troops ran up beside him. Bullet after bullet began pelting the bugs, but they kept coming. There were more bugs than he had first thought. More bugs the INTEL had told them about. Rico watched as one by one, bugs poured from the center; a hole that the tankers had been protecting, something beneath them that was sending more and more out. Just like the old days of the war. But unlike those days, Rico knew he was under-prepared; there were not enough troops to give him the leverage he needed. He knew for a fact that one squad was already dead. _An entire squad, dead._ He thought to himself, with the numbers he was up against, that never would have happened had it been like it was in the war. _But this isn't the war._ He told himself. _I've got to realize that._   
  
Rico looked around. His squad was the farthest in, but they were as far as they would get. There were too many bugs and not enough of them. This was a lost battle, no need in losing everyone. Some squads had been pushed back into the caves. He looked at Kepler, he was shooting, but a frantic look was on his face, he was terrified.   
  
"Major Rico!" A voice shouted through Rico's comm.   
  
"Rico!" He replied. He didn't have time for this. "Who is this?"   
  
"Um…" The voice came back, there was a click and it was replaced by Captain O'Hare.   
  
"Major Rico, we've got a priority…"   
  
"My troops are getting killed Mike! This place is crawling!" Rico shouted back. "There has to be at least two thousand!"   
  
"Listen Jonnie…"   
  
"No, you listen. I'm pulling out! I want eight squads at the landing site when I get there!" Rico shouted. He stood up and waved his hand, giving the retreat signal. All the squads began moving backwards.   
  
"Jonnie!" Michael shouted through the comm.   
  
"What?" He replied as he jumped over the stream. "We're a little busy!" He said as he turned around and dropped a bug.   
  
"We've got a priority message from Tophet, he wants to speak to you, he says it's really important." Michael said.   
  
Kepler dropped in front of Rico. He saw him trip in front of them on a rock and his leg twist, breaking it. "Later Mike!" Rico stopped and picked up Kepler.   
  
"Leave me, sir!" Kepler shouted in pain as Rico heaved him up to his feet.   
  
Rico could hear the screeching of the bugs behind him, and feel the rumbling as the neared. "Not this time trooper!"   
  
"He's waiting for you Jonnie…" Michael began.   
  
"I'll get it later! Rico out!" Jonnie cut the comm. link. He began moving through the cave. L'Ioo stopped and waited for him to pass with Kepler. She began firing shots as the bugs rounded a corner. She took three down before she began falling back.   
  
"Major! We're about two minutes away from the closest exit sir!"   
  
"Keep going!" Rico shouted. He kept moving, L'Ioo shooting the bugs behind him, keeping them just far enough back. Murphy showed up and started shooting along with L'Ioo, making one after another drop. He knew they couldn't keep it up for long.   
  
"Muniz! Take Kepler!" Jonnie shouted. Muniz stopped and stepped back a few paces. He took a few shots, doing what he could to stop the advance. He grabbed Kepler under the arm and began moving forward. Rico stayed where he was and turned around, raised his gun and shot into the group. Murphy and L'Ioo passed him. The tried to get him to fall back but he stayed and continued to shoot. He knew the bugs would follow just his group, so after a while, they would have to stop. But soon, they were practically on top of them and they had to start moving back.   
  
"Run!" Was the only word that he could force from his mouth. He was angry, he was tired, SICON and INTEL had told them wrong. There were too many bugs. _It's cold again._ Rico thought as chills floated down his spine. He pulled out a grenade and set the timer for 5 seconds then tossed it. The troops turned and broke into a sprint through the cave. Suddenly, they were all thrown down from the concussion; their bodies forced down by compressed gasses released from under them, and rock. Rico saw everything turn black for a few moments then woke up to see L'Ioo and Murphy standing over him.   
  
"Are you okay, sir?" Murphy asked extending his hand to help Jonnie up. He took it and stumbled to his feet.   
  
"Yeah, I'm okay." He said looking around. The ceiling had fallen behind him, crushing their pursuers. But he knew that wasn't all there was, and he knew he'd be back in just a short time. Things were going the way he liked them. This was what he needed.   
  


*****

  
Jonnie stepped into the airlock of the transport and felt the suit tighten and release as the small space was pressurized with breathable air. The light went from red to green and Rico walked through the door, unlocking his helmet. He stepped into the cargo/troop area as he took his helmet off. Kepler was lying unconscious on a small cot with a medic examining him. Rico stepped next to him. The medic detached the instruments from him and faced Jonnie.   
  
"His leg is broken in six places," He said plainly, as if it were evident all along that the break was that obvious. "It's nothing that can't be fixed, but he'll be in the ward for a while, no fighting for him."   
  
"Maybe it's for the best." Rico said stepping back towards for the doorway.   
  
"Sir?"   
  
"Nothing, make sure he's taken care of." Rico said leaving. He walked to the cockpit and sat in one of the pilot's chairs. He closed his to let his thoughts gather on the experiences. There were too many bugs; they had been dropped under prepared. When he'd returned to the landing site, eight other transports had arrived to support the four remaining squads. At a standard of 5 troops per squad, they may have enough to take the hive.   
  
He opened his eyes when the beeping of the comm. started. He picked up the headset and placed it on his skull. He flipped the switch and was greeted with the image of his friend T'Phai, staring back at him with a blank expression.   
  
"T'Phai!" Rico exclaimed, not expecting to see the Tophetti. It was hard to read the species expressions, but Rico knew enough to know that his friend was distressed. "I'm guessing you were the priority message?"   
  
"Yes." T'Phai replied flatly. "I come to you with most distressing news Major. I know that you're on mission and that you do not receive the most current news regularly."   
  
"You can say that again." Jonnie said with a smirk. "What's going on?"   
  
"Things are not well Jonnie." T'Phai said, his voice quaking slightly. "Ambassador Brutto and I have both been receiving reports from sources inside Intel about a renewed bug activity in several outlying SICON sectors."   
  
"Yeah, well that kind of stuff happens every now and then from what I understand." Jonnie said trying to remember the last time he'd heard of some bug resurgence. It happened anytime some little arachnid showed its ugly little head. "Colonial Governors are always calling in for support when an Arachnid shows up. I swear! People forget that the things were everywhere. We cleaned most of them out the best we could, but that's why each colony has at least three full MI squads."   
  
"Yes, I understand." T'Phai seemed to be hiding something then finally let it out. "Jonnie, the biggest supporter of the new Bug threat was Carl. He has been missing now for two months, no one knows where he is, he just disappeared. Many in the Tophetti Council and SICON are getting upset at his disregard for procedure."   
  
"Yeah well, both councils think they need to know what's always going on." Jonnie said thinking about Carl. It wasn't like him to just leave like that. He was flaky sometimes, especially under extreme stress, and Jonnie knew that being a general and head of Special Ops had given Carl his fair share of headaches. "He probably just needed a breather."   
  
"He stole a ship." T'Phai said in a flat voice. "I need you head, somehow he was here and left a message for you, I can't open it, it's encrypted with something that I've never seen, but it seems that you will. It seems like a sort of riddle."   
  
Stealing ships was not Carl's style at all, something was definitely wrong. "What other information do you have?"   
  
"A lot of people are getting worried, and it looks like it may be for a good reason. I don't know anything for sure, it may be one big drill to get morale up or something of that nature, but there is nothing for sure. Your help here on Tophet would be much appreciated, my friend."   
  
"All right. We have to finish this mission before I can leave; we're prepared to move out, so once I have everything secured here, I'll get the squad together. If everything goes right, it should only be a few days before we arrive there."   
  
"Thank you Jonnie." T'Phai said before he cut the transmission. Jonnie leaned back in the chair and let out a breath of air. He looked again at the troops gathering and frowned. There was something that could make everything somewhat easier. He flipped the comm. back on and turned to the ship's frequency.   
  
"This is Major Rico. Please respond." He spoke into the microphone. The screen blinked to life to show Captain O'Hare staring back at him.   
  
"Go ahead Major." Michael said bored and with a sigh.   
  
"This is an official request for bombardment of the hive. I'd like to come out with more troops alive than dead." Rico relayed coldly, his voice biting into the Captain's mind.   
  
"Major…" He began but stopped as he gazed at Rico. "Ok, ok. We'll commence bombardment in approximately three minutes. How long should I bombard for?"   
  
"Two minutes, I want something left to clean up." Rico said and cut the link. He took the headset off and threw it down, letting its own chord catch it. He watched it as it swayed back and forth, and noticed he no longer felt the coldness, as before, now it was almost warmth. He shook his head and walked back to the airlock, sealing his helmet back into place. The air was drained out and the gasses of the moon replaced it. The suit tightened and released as it became accustomed to the pressure. The light went from red to green and the bay doors opened to the harsh landscape of A 172. The troops were all standing in attention and ready to begin and finish the rest of the operation. He looked up and could see the ship moving against the stars. He watched another moment as it began its bombardment, blue streaks of fire shooting through space and impacting in a giant ball of red, yellow and blue flame against the spire that was the hive.   
  
He descended the ramp and let his feet compress the dirt and leave their print. He moved forward with an air of power. He took the point with the three remaining troops from his squad and turned to face the others. Most were young and ill experienced, too little time in the sims and little to no action in the field. Most of the LT's and squad commanders were veterans of the war, while others from just after it; he could see it in their faces as they gazed at him, awaiting the orders.   
  
"All right people, listen up!" Rico shouted. His voice carrying through the headsets of everyone. "We're going back into an extremely hot area." Behind him several more explosions ripped through the rocks, sending debris out over the landscape in vast directions. Some was even falling around them from the sky. Rico looked at the blooming balls of fire then back at the soldiers and smiled. "We'll be doing clean up for now, you find anything with more than two legs, kill it. Am I understood?"   
  
"Sir, yes sir!" They all shouted. Rico smiled again and took point with his squad.   
  
"Let's move out!" He waved forward and the troops began jogging toward the skimmers. All the while, rocks fell from the sky, mainly smaller ones, but several large ones. From the hive, two large blue balls sprang up and arched into the sky. Rico knew there was little chance that the plasma would hit the ship, but the fear remained. The squads kept forward until the arrived at the skimmers. Four squads loaded onto each one, a tight fit, but it was achieved. As the skimmers turned towards the hive, two more projectiles impacted on the hive from the sky, sending part of the spire crumbling to the ground. It was only a few moments before they reached the crumbling remnants of the hive. The skimmers slowed to a stop and the ramp dropped. One by one, the troops rushed off, Rico at point, all racing for an entrance into the caves. Littering the ground was the pieces of the bugs while the ground was tinted green and orange.   
  
The closer they got to the entrance, the more uncomfortable Rico felt with the situation. The ground began to shake and Rico motioned for the troops to continue towards the entrance. Behind all of the troops, the ground split open and a large tanker sprang up, with about three dozen warriors following it.   
  
"Cover the flank!" Rico barked into his comm. All the squads halted and turned and began to fire on the bugs. "Squads four and six, move to the east, twenty meters! Behind that rock!" Rico screamed motioning towards a crater and small rock mound. The ten troops moved behind it and opened fire on the tanker, sending round after round into the thick hide. Rico heard the screech from behind him and turned to greet a warrior only a few feet from it. He trained his gun on it and opened fire, taking it down with only a few bullets, but it was soon replaced by another, then another. Muniz and Murphy came to his aide and fired into the steady stream of bugs that was now exiting the hive. It was a last ditch effort. Rico turned for only a moment, but what he saw made him smile. The tanker lay dying in the dirt of the moon, the gray turning orange and only a few of the warriors were left standing. Only one of his was down and she was being tended to, he didn't recognize the trooper but he could tell she was alive. He knew she would be okay with only a few people left behind.   
  
"Forward!" He shouted taking steps forward, firing at the bugs. He wasn't too worried with taking one down as he was with just firing into the cluster as a whole. With the rounds from the other troops also impacting, it all added up. One after another, he found troopers by his side, forming a solid line of weapons fire training in on the cave. He saw a grenade hurled through the air and land in the center. The explosion that followed was enough of a distraction to the bugs that Rico charged forward, followed closely by the rest of the troops. None released the triggers except to change magazines. Soon they were at the mouth of the cave, not a single live bug in sight. Rico stopped and let the troops all gather around the entrance. He motioned them as he went first, his helmet lights on, showing the way through the darkness.   
  
It only took about ten minutes to get to the center of the hive again. The squads split into three groups and fanned out at the forks. They all got to the center within minutes. There was no resistance through the caves, but the main chamber was a different story. Two medium sized plasma bugs sat at the center surrounded by about two hundred warriors. Rico knelt and opened fire. Two others stepped up and fired off two rockets into the plasma bug, ripping into them and sending their bodies outward in an explosion that killed a good number of the warriors. After the smoke had cleared, the MI was greeted with a small brain bug trying to crawl away. The warriors all turned and rushed the troops. Within moments, the remaining warriors were dead or dying on the ground. Rico rushed forward, jumping over bugs and debris. He reached the lip of the cave the brain bug had gone down. Three squads formed up around him, including his. He looked around and saw the others killing off the remaining bugs. Eight hoppers leaped from the upper reaches of the cavern and swooped down. A hailstorm of bullets greeted them and they were all picked from the sky.   
  
"After the brain apes!" Rico ordered. He and the three squads ran down the cave. Soon they reached another large, open cavern and saw a small transport bug with the brain bug boarding it.   
  
"Oh no you don't!" Rico muttered to himself. "Take it out!"   
  
All the troops opened fire on the transport. Several grenades shot through the air and bounced against, into and under the transport. The explosions ripped through the flesh of the monster, but despite the immense damage, it still lifted into the air. It began to rise, the wings and plasma slowly lifting it from the dirt. Three rockets impacted on the side of the transport and sent the blue blood and plasma showering over the troops. The transport banked into the wall from the explosion and brought down part of the wall. Bullets continued to trace towards the bug, send small bits of it out all over the place. As small fires burned on the sides and inside it, two more rockets impacted on the right side of it, sending it to the ground, dying. The ramp slowly lowered to the dirt, and a swarm of warriors spewed from the opening. A line of troops quickly formed up and began dispatching the enemy, one by one with deadly accuracy. One burst through the line of weapons fire, injuring two and killing one with its giant mandibles before being killed. Soon after, the remaining were left in pools of their own green blood, dying or dead, leaving only the brain bug inside to take out. Most of the troops, the adrenaline still fresh in their system, moved through out the bodies, wasting ammo into the freshly slaughtered carcasses.   
  
Rico and Murphy walked up to the transport, their guns trained readily on the entrance. Several fires could be seen burning on the inside, along with dead warriors, a few eggs, a few hoppers and a tanker. Rico began walking up the fleshy ramp, the skin and muscle sinking slightly under his weight. He walked into the transport and saw the brain. It was sitting still, its sides pulsated and veins throbbed as it stared with its multiple black eyes at Jonnie and Murphy.   
  
"Orders, sir?" Murphy asked.   
  
Rico gazed at the bug; its left side was bleeding a purplish ooze, which was gathering on the ground. He lowered his gun and clenched his jaw.   
  
"Kill it." He said plainly turning and exiting the transport. He walked down and heard six shots, a scream then silence. He walked to the other troops who were checking on the dead one and finishing off the bugs. After a few moments, they were ready to return to the ship.   
  
The trek back to the ship with five dead was a silent one. SICON had misinformed the MI and it had cost them two squads worth. But Rico was more concerned with his dialogue with T'Phai. When he returned to the ship he would have to start the searches for everyone and get them where they needed to be. Rico exited the skimmer and entered his transport. He was really dreading what was to come. The blood between them had been bad for a while; she still wouldn't talk to him.   
  
  
LOVELL A-19   
  
The Queen looked through her minds eye at every one of her minions. They were ready and willing to go forward to whatever she put them too. Of course they were, that's what they were bred for. She squeezed an egg out and let it fall into the hole that led to the main incubation chamber, some thirty or forty feet below her, where it was warm.   
  
[Majesty,] she heard the soft cooling voice in her head. She turned to see her top general staring right at her. He was an ugly blob of nerves and skin, his head was really the only movable part of his body, he had his tooth retracted of course from respect for his queen.   
  
[Yes?] She replied going back to her observations. She was looking over the green grasses of the planet the Terrans called 'Eden'. It was a disgusting planet and she hated it, but not as much as she hated Earth.   
  
[The transports are ready to leave, at your order of course.] He said. He shied away and back to his position at her right side.   
  
[Of course.] she squeezed another egg out. [Let them depart, they know that they may be recalled if our friend arrives.]   
  
[Majesty, if I may offer a suggestion.] He said after a moment.   
  
[Go ahead.] She sighed as another egg was released.   
  
[I am not questioning your judgment, but you may be wise to believe the Terran is coming alone. Our spies led us to believe this.] He said with the utmost respect.   
  
[Yes, I know,] She turned to face him. She was in no way angered with her general, but she liked them to believe she was. At any moment she could have him killed if she felt the need, or just wished to be entertained. [But I learned from my mother's debacle that you can not under estimate the humans. My orders stay.]   
  
[Of course majesty.]   
  
She went back to her viewing of the planets and then watched as two transports left the asteroid field and began their journey towards the planet. 'Eden' as they called it would soon be back in her control.   
  


*****

  
Captain O'Hare was sitting alone at his desk in his private office when the door chime rang. "Enter." He said sharply without ever looking up. The doors slid open with a metallic hiss then back shut after his visitor had entered. Still without looking up from the ships reports he spoke again. "What can I help you with?"   
  
"We need to leave now." Jonnie Rico's voice said with such sharpness that it startled Michael. He looked up to see Jonnie staring back at him.   
  
"What do you mean?" He asked trying to catch his breath.   
  
"I need to get to Tophet, we all do." Jonnie said coolly.   
  
"Tophet is a five day trip from here Jonnie-" Michael said.   
  
"Yes, I know, that's why we have to leave now."   
  
"What the hell is going on Jonnie?" Michael said standing up from his chair.   
  
"That mound down there wasn't a leftover Mike; it was a forward attack base." Jonnie said leaning against the desk. "And this stays between you and me Mike."   
  
Michael stared at nothing in disbelief. The shear magnitude of what this meant was incredible. "How sure are we?"   
  
"Sure enough that any day now, we'll probably be hearing about Transports being sighted all over SICON space." Jonnie stepped back and smiled. "Just like old times."   
  
"Yeah," Michael was dumbfounded for a moment then got a hold of himself. "Tophet it is then." He stepped around his desk and entered the bridge with Jonnie following. Jonnie stopped at the door as Michael walked up the cold stairs to his raised command chair over looking the entire bridge. "Helmsman, I want all personnel back on board in twenty then I want us underway to Tophet at maximum speed."   
  
"Sir?" The young helmsman said turning around, a confused expression filling his face.   
  
"You heard me ensign!" Michael spat.   
  
"Yes, sir." The helmsman said turning back around and relaying the messages.   
  
Michael faced Jonnie again. "We'll be underway shortly."   
  
Jonnie looked around for a moment then nodded and left the bridge.   
  


*****

  
Major Jonnie Rico stepped into his quarters and threw the file folders down on his desk and walked to the vid-phone. He sat in front of it and dialed in the number. He held the tears back as Dizzy Flores' face greeted him.   
  
"I'm not home right now, please leave a message..." the monotone recording replied to him. He shook his head and began speaking when the beep sounded.   
  
"Dizzy? It's Johnny... Look, I know you don't want to talk to me, but I think something is up, we're all going to be in a lot of trouble... Diz, please pick up." Rico didn't know what to say next. He sat there a moment then decided it was best to leave things be. He turned the VID off and went to his bunk where he fell into a fitful sleep.   
  
  
EARTH   
(TWO DAYS LATER)   
  
"This is classified Charlie." Miriam said, showing the papers to Charlie Zim. "No one knows what's going on."   
  
Charlie Zim scratched his chin and looked at his wife in horror and disbelief. "Oh holy God. This cannot be happening. Miriam, I'm so sorry for not believing you."   
  
"We don't have much time Charlie, maybe a month. Get in touch with who we need to, I'll take care of the rest."   
  
"Original squad strengths" Zim said blankly, still looking over the papers.   
  
"Yes, I want full squads. We cannot give them the upper hand." She said turning back to her husband she looked over the island. "Charlie, we may not make it out of this one."   
  
Zim crushed the paper in his hands. "The Roughnecks are always here ma'am, and as long as they are, no bug will control this galaxy."   
  
Miriam turned back to him with tears running down her cheeks. "Please don't."   
  
"I'll get in touch with him later today, give him the full story." Zim looked away from his wife for a moment then back at her. "Miriam, you know I have too, we all have too, and the only one who most likely will not do it willingly is Flores. But we know her reasons."   
  
Miriam simply nodded her head. She walked to Zim and saluted him. "Carry on Sergeant."   
  
Zim returned the salute. "Yes, sir! I love you." He put his hand down and exited the Sky Marshal's office.   
  
  
"Master Sun said…   
  
'The Skillful Warrior   
    Stirs   
    And is not stirred.   
  
    He lures his enemy   
    Into coming   
    Or obstructs him   
    From Coming.'"   
  
_The Art of War_: Chapter 6:03-04; Sunzi 


	3. Episode 3: Anesthesia

"The Reunion"  
Episode 203 – Anesthesia  
D-Minus 8 Days  
  
  
  
"Sometimes I'd like to think that Jonnie Rico knew what exactly to do when he got the message from T'Phai, then I put myself in his shoes and I know, there's no way to know what to do. You can only go off of your gut instincts."  
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_   
  
  
EARTH   
  
Charlie Zim looked out the window of the office in his personal home in Honolulu. He was overlooking the ocean and the sun was just rising. He let out a long sigh and turned away. He squeezed his eyes shut and held them. They burned from lack of sleep and he felt the tears well up as he held them shut. His body was beginning to feel fatigue; he'd been without sleep now for three days. But once you were an MI, you were always an MI. Which was part of the problem he was facing now.   
  
As it stood, the Mobile Infantry was at about half its strength, maybe less, the reports could never be held as completely accurately because of how often officers fudged them. If you were short on supplies or men, you could always misreport for a while then play catch up slowly, or if you were over, misreport and keep it hidden from everyone's prying eyes. Either was the trend for the day. Too many officers were undermanned and undersupplied on the far off planets, so they would report everything as okay in order to avoid more paper work than anyone wanted to deal with. Grunts hated paperwork; it took away from sack time, which is what it was doing to Zim right now.   
  
The other officers, the lucky ones who got away with more, misreported in order to maintain the level they were at. You never knew when the call would come up and a sergeant or private would be transferred to fill a vacancy some where in another part of the galaxy, and if you reported your squad as normal, but still had an extra stashed in there, when that call came up, you weren't left short handed. The logistics left after the war were somewhat muffled. It seemed that Sanchez had tried to keep the MI at their numbers, but it was impossible.   
  
After the war, the resources needed to maintain the MI at the number it had reached, three hundred thousand, give or take, were just not present. The Earth had been stripped clean during the war; the Bugs had destroyed so much. The terraforming of Venus was stepped up and completed four years sooner than expected, giving the Earth a food resource. Birthing licenses were issued to anyone who met the criteria (i.e. no genetic defects, no history of chronic diseases, no history of mental problems, etc), that way the gene pool and population pool was refurbished. Cloning was allowed for a short time (from the DNA of the dead), but after a riot at the London plants, the experiment was halted, all fully grown clones were introduced into society, while the rest were destroyed, becoming a horrible black eye for SICON.   
  
The other major problem facing the MI was the amount of section eights issued. No one could have guessed the sort of problems that would arise later on, but at least some of them were expected, but the rest were horrible. Suicides jumped through the roof, along with crimes. It turns out that spending one to two years fighting giant insects across countless systems can have a negative effect on people. Who would have guessed? The amount of murders climbed .002% in the years immediately following the war, which meant seven murders every week; that was more than tolerated. Martial law was instituted for two months until everything was under control, but still, the Mobile Infantry lost numbers. The fleet seemed to have been able to squeak by losing only a sixth of their numbers. That seemed to be the way things went.   
  
Zim opened his eyes to see the papers in front of him. He looked at them in disgust and stood up. He stretched his body out and felt his back pop in numerous places. He turned around and walked out of the office into the hall and popped his knuckles. He entered the kitchen and saw that it was just six o'clock. He pulled the coffee pot out to find he had sucked it dry and forgot to refill it. He slammed it down and grunted; he was getting testy in his old age, little patience for the little things.   
  
Storming through the house in the early morning hours seemed to be one of his favorite past times now. In the past few days, Zim had been going from room to room trying to take care of business, trying to take care of things that needed taken care of. Sure, Miriam had aides who could do most of it, and by all accounts, should be doing them, but Zim didn't trust them, not with what he was handling, it was too important.   
  
After the war, the MI was broken. It was only a shadow of its former self. It now controlled more territory with even fewer troopers than before. It was actually quite amazing. The deployment had actually done a good job for peacetime. A single MI could easily stop a dozen bugs with the right equipment, and the numbers of MI on the colonies proved that to be true. The problem came from the total number of MI left. At little over one hundred thousand, the MI could not hope to retain control of a planet against an invading bug army, not by any means. This in turn led to prove the fault in Sanchez's reasoning. While he did what he had to, there were other measures he could have taken to help keep the MI from crumbling like it had. The main point to be noticed is that SICON had grown complacent and arrogant in its victory over the bugs, and now it was looking to come back and bite them on the tail.   
  
Zim was busy trying to go through discharge papers of those who were still physically and mentally competent to return to service. Once an MI, always an MI. The numbers who were discharged, still alive and mentally and physically competent did little to help. Sure the numbers jumped 3%, but that wasn't enough. Zim was trying to see where he could bend the rules on it. Missing both legs? No problem, the MI has plenty for you. Paralyzed? Maybe a new brain jack. There were several possibilities that would boost the numbers an additional 15%, but the money and resources were not allocated. That was another job he had taken on. He'd assigned himself the budget. He knew where he could cut corners and where he could fill in gaps, the things that a simple civilian wouldn't think of.   
  
As it stood, Zim could maybe get 12%, not the 20% he wanted back when he wanted them back. That remaining 8% would be left up to the bureaucrats who thought they could fight the war from behind a desk. The fleet was in fine shape, maybe a little rearranging, and some dry dock for several ships, but it would suffice for now.   
  
Rearranging the MI was his biggest problem. To keep control, a squad needed four to six members. To be a fully effective, well oiled machine that brought misery, death and destruction down on any enemy of the human race, it needed double that. A MI out of boot is ready to become part of the team with little or no problems. The MI were trained to mesh together, just like an added extension to allow the whole work even better. But at four men per squad, they were tested to meet that. The catch up needed put a remarkable strain on both trooper and equipment. Now, troopers had to play catch up for the lack of both. But, Sanchez had tried, and he had managed to keep some dignity in the Mobile Infantry. But that was for peace times, and the times were quickly changing. Or at least that's the way things looked.   
  
There had been no official word on any particular bug movements, just the skirmishes on all the planets, all of which were quickly subdued and controlled. But now the psychics were jumping up and down, saying that the brains were contacting them, letting them know they're coming. The psych department was a mess, especially with Carl gone. And Carl was the biggest upset. The Y Pres had tracked him as far as Tophet, where he made another jump, but then the trail mysteriously disappeared. Whatever he was doing, it was making a lot of people nervous. His going AWOL made a lot of generals mad, and now they were shouting at Miriam about it. The council was even getting into the fray now. It was a circus looking from the outside in and Zim had the privilege of being on both sides of it.   
  
Politicians had this big thing about thinking they could run the war from behind a desk. But what senator had ever won a war? SICON had made sure that it could win, and proved that it would. The biggest problem over the recent events was how the council panicked. They wanted to bring all forces home from the outer planets, try and protect only Earth. The idea was preposterous of course, but they thought they knew everything. The most intriguing fact was that none of the council was a citizen. The council was formed to give the civilians a 'voice' while all it really did was make them shut up. Sometimes it would try and over step its bounds and pull something but it would quickly be put back by the Sky Marshal and generals.   
  
Things were getting testy at Headquarters though, quickly too. It had only been three days since Miriam broke word to the Civilian Council and the Council of Officers but already they were moving. Zim was busy rearranging while everyone else could take care of their own problems; he wanted to make sure that the grunts had a fighting chance. Everyone was moving to make sure the news didn't get out. Maybe this was really happening, but galactic panic would not help matters at all. Hopefully it was a false alarm that would wake everyone up to the realization that there may be more out there. Something worse than the bugs. That idea scared him more than anything. The Bugs had almost succeeded in their plan, but failed at the last moment.   
  
Zim retreated to his bedroom. He was determined to get some coffee, and he sure didn't want to make it. He needed some exercise. He dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and put on a pair of running shoes. Even as old as he was, he could still beat some greenies. He tied his shoes tight over his socks and did a few more stretches before leaving the room. The hallway was bright now as the sun had risen into the sky. It was still hovering above the waterline but it was up. The air outside was cool a brisk, the perfect time for a three mile jog. Both ways. He ran down the driveway and onto the street and decided he would take the long way to get more out of his trip.   
  
As he ran, Zim continued to go over the math of rearrangement and redeployment. The hardest thing would be getting all of the troops moved around in time; otherwise, SICON would be caught with its paints around its ankles. There were 23000 squads scattered around the galaxy. That had been the number when the war had ended, but peacetime cuts and redeployment had been the cause in the number of available troops. Divide the available troops up into the squads, make squads their full size and you're left with less half of that number. Then from that, Zim had to figure out how and where to redeploy those squads around the galaxy. The fleet needed seven thousand squads available to maintain a remote readiness, which left another two thousand available for the garrisons on the two hundred bases and colonies scattered around the galaxy, not to mention that at any given time, twenty percent of the MI were on R&R, which dropped the number even more. What Zim was left with was an under prepared mess to defend the human race.   
  
The deal was simple though, the only option was for Zim to rearrange in that manner, the only problem was for SICON to get all the orders taken care of, not counting new recruits and discharges because of the completion of terms, and they needed two months to get everything the way it's supposed to be. But SICON didn't have two months, not with what the psychics were saying. They had two weeks. And two weeks was not enough time to get everything taken care of if you went through the proper channels. Going over the authorization part was the only choice they really had. That way all Zim had to do was put the people where he wanted them and tell who needed to to make it so. But he needed a day or two to work that part out.   
  
Zim ran the whole way to the beach and was there before he'd realized it. The sun was up now and shinning down bright. The water sparkled like a thousand pieces of glass shattered and spread out. He ran onto the sand and decided that he would take the long way to his favorite café next to one of the piers. He ran by several surfers who were making their way into the water. He passed by a couple who had spent the night on the beach and were watching the sun and ocean. He reached the café to find it open and to see the owner setting out table settings. He walked under the small pavilion, which is all the café really was, and went to the counter. The waiter walked out from the kitchen and saw Zim and smiled.   
  
Zim ventured to the café enough for the waiter to know him by name, while Zim still didn't know his. It wasn't that he'd never heard it; he just couldn't remember how to pronounce it. The waiter stepped up to Zim who was about six inches taller. He had dark long hair that covered his thin dark face.   
  
"How are you this morning friend?" Zim asked looking around. The place would be busy by 7:30 until midnight.   
  
"I'm good Citizen Zim. Would you like something to eat?" He asked leaning against the bad.   
  
"No, just coffee." Zim replied standing back up straight. He caught sight of two transports entering the atmosphere and flying low across the ocean, spraying water out behind them. The screeched by and flew towards HQ. He couldn't see them land but he heard it. He turned back to the counter and saw his coffee waiting for him and a smiling Peloponnesian. "How much?" he asked reaching into his pocket.   
  
"For you, free my friend. On the house. I just hope you remember your friend here?" He said with a smile.   
  
Zim was taken back by the comment. It left him confused and startled, enough so that his mouth must have been left open.   
  
"Do not worry," He said running his fingers across his lips. "I have lived and watched SICON on this island; I know a secret when I hear one. It seems when some people get a little bit of alcohol in them, they want to talk about everything they know. Some of it turns out to be interesting."   
  
Zim just nodded. "Yeah." He began to walk away but turned back and smiled. "Can't forget the man who gives the best coffee on the planet." And he turned back around and walked onto the beach.   
  
He was stuck on the problem of getting the MI's numbers back to what they were before the end of the war. Casualties were a constant, but they had been able to retain a steady level of troopers. Around three hundred thousand or so, but now, at the one hundred thousand mark, they were bucking for help.   
  
The sun was warm against Zim's face as he watched the wave's crash against the shore. He loved the area. Everything was so peaceful and serene, it was paradise. He finished his coffee and threw the cup into the bin next to the sidewalk as he left the beach. He did a few quick stretches before he started running again. The exercise was great, but he still had work that he needed to finish.   
  
Before the Bug War, SICON had stipulations in place that would help keep people from joining, but keep the numbers at a steady level. Everyone figured that two hundred thousand, give or take, was a good number for the MI during peace time, and those were full squads. On paper, the numbers and deployment schemes that were in place should have worked, but the increase of area spread them thin. After OPC, enlistment jumped to a new height. People wanted to join because it was fashionable, the propaganda was working. But after the battle for Earth and having the ugly face of war thrust upon them and they didn't like it. They didn't like it enough in fact that enlistment after the war dropped, despite easier tests and more rewards.   
  
People seem to be patriotic as long as it suits their interests, but as soon as it no longer does, they could care less. The trick to getting people in where they were needed was to trick them but again, the war had foiled even that. The longevity of the war had caused many people to question what they were told, despite the proof that at least half of it was always true. The Bug was no match for SICON, but only barely. The problem was solved easily during the Battle for Earth by instituting a draft, which was probably what Zim was going to have to convince Miriam of doing. The problem there was enforcing it. Sure, tell the people they had to report for duty, but what then? After the war, if people didn't want to join and didn't want to fight, many probably wouldn't.   
  
Zim rounded the corner and began to run up the driveway to his house. He had another problem nagging at the back of his mind too. He needed to know what to do about the Roughnecks. SICON would want them on the front lines, and Rico would gladly take them there, no problem, that's why he was doing what he was doing now; rampaging through the galaxy destroying that which wanted to do nothing more than kill his family and friends.   
  
He entered his house to find it cool. During his run, Zim had found that the temperature rose quickly and the humidity only amplified that. He went to his room, undressed and got into the shower.   
  
Zim knew that T'Phai had contacted Miriam about Jonnie and gotten the information on where to find him. Now Zim needed to do the same. He needed to know if Jonnie wanted all of the original Roughnecks back, or if he wanted him to just transfer good people in. The only thing Zim knew for sure was whether or not he wanted the rest of Roughnecks; Zim was going to be back.   
  
  
EN ROUTE TO TOPHET   
  
Major Jonnie Rico had awoken that morning to the sound of someone banging on his door. Or at least that's what he had thought at first. He hated being woke up on his off days. Though he knew that he never really had 'off days', just days where he could maybe sleep a little longer than usual. The banging had continued even after he had screamed for the visitor to go away. When he finally sat up to see who it was he realized what it was. A water pipe had busted on the deck above him and the repair crews had to fix it immediately or the entire deck would lose its entire water supply. And that's how the bad day had begun.   
  
He had went to the mess hall on his own, it was on the deck above his quarters so he got to see all the water and the leak and that's how he figured out what the banging had been. There was an inch and a half of water on the deck itself with tools floating around in it. It had actually been kind of funny. The mechanics were having to jump around and splash to get what they needed. Rico had thought of helping but he was in a sour mood already and hungry, he knew they'd probably refuse his help and he knew for sure that they could fix it on their own.   
  
The mess hall was a mess too. It turns out that the cooks were the ones who had started the leak in the first place. Rico later discovered that one of the cooks was trying to make some Tophetti dish and caught half the kitchen on fire. He was trying to put it out with water but the pressure ended up rupturing the pipe in the hall way, and to make matters worse, the kitchen was out which meant, very little food.   
  
Rico was able to scrounge around in the back (being a major has the kind of perks that allow you to do that) and find some stuff to make himself a couple of sandwiches. He'd eaten alone most of the time, but today he found Murphy sitting by himself in the back corner next to a window staring off into nothing. Rico sat down in front of him and he immediately stood up.   
  
"Sir, Major Sir." He had said coming to full attention.   
  
"At ease private. Sit back down." Murphy did as he was told then went back to staring out of the window. Rico took a bite of his sandwich and looked out the window. "What you looking at soldier?"   
  
"Oh, um, just looking, sir." Murphy had replied quietly. "Sir, permission to speak freely?"   
  
"Of course." Rico said taking another bite. "Want a sandwich?"   
  
"Sir, no thank you sir." Murphy looked around then at Rico. "Sir, what happened at Armstrong? I can't believe that that's what it was like during the war sir, that was incredible, that many bugs. I mean, I remember being a kid on Earth and seeing the vids and everything, all those bugs. But I had thought that some of it was doctored after the war, you know, because of all the released information on propaganda."   
  
"No, those vids were true." Rico took another bite and swallowed. "I was there, and what happened at Armstrong was nothing. That was a skirmish for us ten years ago." He finished off his first sandwich and began eating the second. "You see, the point of propaganda is to get you to believe what we want you to believe, what happened was that people were forced not to believe it when three hundred bugs would come crashing through their back yard followed by a squad of MI, or vice versa."   
  
"But, it just seemed impossible." Murphy said looking down at the table. "I was scared. With the clean up missions that we had to do on Eden and Lilat, those were easy, not as many bugs—"   
  
"That's why they were clean up missions." Rico interrupted finishing his second sandwich and starting his third, he had been kind of disappointed because he only had one left after that...   
  
"Yes sir, I know, that's what I was getting at, if those were clean up missions, and this was a clean up mission, why was their such a difference in sizes? How could INTEL underestimate their size?"   
  
Rico began to laugh loudly at the last statement that had come from Murphy. Rico knew the kid was brave and strong, but this was something new. He was naive too. "Private, why did you join the Mobile Infantry?"   
  
Murphy had been taken back by the question. "Sir?"   
  
"Why did you join the Mobile Infantry son?" Rico asked again with a mouthful of ham, bread and lettuce.   
  
"Well sir, I guess, the adventure." He'd said after a moment of silent thought.   
  
Rico smiled. "You believed the propaganda."   
  
"Sir?"   
  
"It's the same basic thing when I joined. After OPC, just about everyone wanted to join because it looked easy, it looked fun. Think about it, who wouldn't want to see Pluto and the other planets? And while you're at it, kill some mindless insects that wanted to kill you, though they never really mentioned that last part. The war was made to look fashionable, easy, no problem. But the truth was slightly different. You see, at least fifty percent of the propaganda that SICON issued was the truth, sometimes it was wholly truthful, but it never went below being half the truth."   
  
"Is that why you joined sir?" Murphy asked curiously. He had sounded like a young kid when he'd asked, and looked like one too.   
  
Rico had been caught off guard by the question as he was in the middle of biting into the last of his third sandwich. He finished it off and thought while he chewed. He knew why he'd joined, and what he'd put down for his reason for joining at the recruitment office, both happened to be completely different. He'd joined for Carmen; he'd have done anything to have been near her. He had to admit that the reason for him staying with the MI was different now and had changed as he'd matured and risen through the ranks. But the underlying truth was that he'd stayed because of what had happened between him and Dizzy.   
  
He finished chewing and swallowed. He had looked Murphy directly in the eye and told him the truth: "I joined because I was in love private." He started on his fourth and final sandwich.   
  
"Sir?" Murphy had been stunned.   
  
"I was in love with a girl who was joining the service because she wanted to fly. She knew who I was but that was about it. I was a shy, arrogant rich kid and it got me into trouble. But in the end, it made me a better person. I'm happy about what I've done. No regrets."   
  
"You didn't believe the propaganda?"   
  
"Well, it wasn't that I didn't believe it, most people did, it was that it wasn't the reason I joined." Rico finished his sandwich and smiled. "I got paper work to fill out private, and you have suits to check off. I want all suits ready for our arrival at Tophet."   
  
"Yes, sir." Murphy had stood up with Rico but left before him. Rico had lingered for a drink and to collect his thoughts. He'd forgotten about the banging outside but realized that had stopped. He stared out the window and watched the starlines for a moment and had his thoughts strayed to Carmen.   
  
Murphy had inadvertently brought up the past and it was hurting a little. He'd buried himself so deep into the job that he'd forgotten what was on the outside. He couldn't even really remember the last time he'd been to Earth. Two maybe three years, he wasn't sure.   
  
He'd only stayed in the mess hall a few more minutes before he'd finally left. He wanted to really take a shower, but when he'd returned to his quarters he realized that the water for the whole ship was losing water and was going on a water conservation plan, at least he'd showered the previous day and he didn't work up much a sweat or smell. Then after sitting down to read the reports they'd received the previous day he'd received a summons to the bridge.   
  
Now he was standing in front of Captain O'Hare on the bridge of the _Threshold_. He was a stern man with a light heart and knack for proving to be a merciless foe in a battle and that was how he was able to survive the War and keep his ship intact. And now he was still doing what he loved most; piloting his ship through the stars.   
  
"Jonnie," He said not turning away from the report. "I have this ship running at maximum. The stress is beginning to show. I need a reason to keep her at this pace, other wise, I'm reducing speed."   
  
"How long will it put us behind?" Jonnie asked still standing at full attention. While he out ranked the Captain, in title at least, the _Threshold_ was still his ship, he would show him the respect he deserved, both from his history and status aboard the ship. Michael had been the only one to get his ship out intact from the original invasion of a world identified only as Planet P and was the first in to return on the second invasion.   
  
"A day and a half, giving us another two days until we get there." He finally looked up from his reports. "Now, what's the reason?"   
  
"I can't honestly give you one Mike." Jonnie said looking down. He hated not having an answer for his friend. They'd been through a lot in the years they've been exterminating the bugs, and they'd had to trust each other on a lot.   
  
"Jonnie, in the four years we've been doing this, I've trusted every hunch you've had, and they usually turned out right. But they've never run the risk of costing me my ship. And now, I'm running that risk. The engines are over heating and the hull has buckled in several places. If we're not careful we're going to fly apart. This is an old ship and it can't handle the speeds for this amount of time."   
  
"I wish I could give you an answer Mike, I really do. But I don't know what's going on except that my best friend is missing, bug resurgences have been occurring all over SICON territory and what ever is going on, is beyond you and me."   
  
Mike studied Rico hard for a moment then with a sigh, dropped his head. "I've read some of the reports. I don't like it either, but what good are we going to be if we blow up?"   
  
Rico swallowed hard and tried to think of what he could say. The Captain was right; if they kept going, they were going to run the risk of flying the ship apart. Rico opened his mouth to begin speaking when the comm. officer spoke up.   
  
"Sir, we have a priority message from Earth." He said turning around holding the ear piece against his head. "The security code matches that of Sky Marshal Redwing-Zim."   
  
Michael looked at Jonnie with a raised eyebrow. "Saved by the bell?"   
  
Rico shrugged his shoulders and stepped back. "Put it through." Michael said. The screen flickered for a moment and the face that appeared was not the soft face of the Sky Marshal, but the hard cold face of her husband. "Citizen Zim." He said flatly, he wasn't too sure what he was really supposed to say.   
  
"That's Sergeant Zim." He replied flatly. Rico's ears picked up at the sound of Zim using his old rank. The old battle axe had come out of retirement. What was going on? "Captain, I have a priority message for Major Rico, if you could please patch me into him. It's urgent."   
  
"Well, you're in luck, the Major and I were just having a discussion." Michael said, nodding towards Rico. Jonnie stepped up by the chair and smiled. The smile was not returned and he quickly dropped it and returned Zim's hard stare.   
  
"This conversation is classified Major, is there a more secure location for us to speak?" Zim asked looking at him. Rico could tell the old man was a little uneasy about something.   
  
"You can use my office Major." Michael said thumbing behind him. The captain's bridge office on a ship directly behind his chair, it's basically a closet with a desk and two chairs. It's meant for the captain to be able to review reports, battle plans, course plans, conduct conferences, or do anything that he needs or wants to do without the prying eyes of the bridge crew.   
  
Rico quickly entered the office and sat behind the desk. The face of his old drill instructor quickly came up after he'd punched in his command codes. He was looking hard. "Sergeant?"   
  
"Yes, sir." Zim said flatly. "You know the saying, 'once an MI, always an MI'. Things are not looking good from our perspective."   
  
"I've noticed." Jonnie sat back in the chair. "I've been going over the reports that the Sky Marshal sends me, and I still don't know what to think. We were cleaning bugs off of Armstrong Prime and its moons, and there we were encountering a large number of bugs. This is hopefully just coordination between brains."   
  
"That's what we're hoping. Look, I know T'Phai contacted you (don't know about what), and I know that you know about Carl-"   
  
Rico interrupted at the mention of his best friend. "What's with Carl anyway? What's the whole story?"   
  
"I wish I knew. It started two months ago, it seems that he just woke up and decided to take a ship. We don't know where he's going or why, but he's gone, and the course seems erratic, some of the psychics say he's gone crazy, too much time with the bugs. And now, on top of him missing, all his little cohorts are harassing us about an invasion of our space, if they're right, we're just now finding out."   
  
"Two months Charlie?" Rico yelled this time. His best friend was missing for two months and he had only recently heard about it, and that made him angrier than anything else. "Why has he been gone two months with no trace of him?"   
  
"Look Jonnie, I'm not calling to talk to you about Carl, we have bigger problems!" Zim let the words linger in the air a moment. "Priorities! Right now, I am sitting in my house attempting to rearrange our deployment; we are not prepared for any kind of large scale attack like the one that the psychics are predicting. I need to know where you stand. Do you want your old squad, or do you want fresh troops?"   
  
"Who's available?"   
  
"Everyone, except Flores." Zim said the last part quietly "But I'm still going to talk to her." He knew some of the history, but not much, and what he did know is that Rico didn't like to talk about her.   
  
"I keep who I have now right?" Rico asked ignoring the part about his ex-wife. Having lost a child in birth gave Dizzy the stamp of unstable on her papers. It seems that SICON doesn't really want anyone who lost a child bringing it into the world to be on the front lines trying to take life from someone, or something.   
  
"You're the boss." Zim said. After a moment he spoke again. "Jonnie, can I ask what T'Phai spoke to you about, it seems that he's rustled a lot of feathers here at HQ and some people are mad, but they're keeping a tight lip on what he said."   
  
"He got a message from Carl." Jonnie said plainly.   
  
"What?" Zim was stunned and his face proved it. Jonnie knew it took a lot to surprise the old man, and this was one of them. "What's it say? Where is he?"   
  
"I don't know, T'Phai says it needs my identification, I don't know what kind, but he says it's strange. I have Captain O'Hare getting us to Tophet under maximum speed, but the ship can't take much more of the stress."   
  
"Things are moving very quickly, and they're moving quickly against us. You have pull in many areas's Jonnie; you'll be able to convince the Skinnies to do something we need them to do."   
  
"And what's that?"   
  
"We're drawing up the appropriate documents to make it legal, but we may need to institute a draft. Recruitment is down to its lowest, we're not doing very well."   
  
"I'll see what I can do, but I don't think-" Zim cut him off.   
  
"Just talk to them, talk to T'Phai, he'll understand. Jonnie, if we don't get ready, and get ready fast, this may be one of the shortest wars in galactic history." Jonnie got stuck on Zim's last statement. If anything, this was one of the longest wars in galactic history, or at least as far as Jonnie knew. It had started with OPC and it was still going on. This was just another chapter in the book.   
  
"Like I said, I'll talk to them. No promises."   
  
"I guess that's all I can ask for." There was an awkward silence that hung in the air for a few seconds. "I'll get the orders cut; we'll meet you where the fun begins." He saw Zim smile, which was a rare thing in itself, then the screen, was replaced by the SICON insignia then went black.   
  
Jonnie stood and exited the small office. Michael looked at him from around the side and asked: "What's going on?"   
  
"Everything is going to hell in a hand basket Mike. I don't know what we're going to do." Rico said quietly then left. He returned to his quarters and began to think to himself. No matter how hard he tried to think about something else, no matter how hard he tried at burying himself in reports or work, his thoughts kept drifting back to the quiet name Zim had spoken. He'd decided then that this was how the bad day would end. After a several attempts to stop it, Jonnie Rico cried.   
  
  
LOVELL A-19   
  
The Queen watched through her mind's eye as her transports slowed their advance. She was feeling him getting closer. He kept getting closer, some how he knew exactly where to go. He made her more nervous than anything else. She wasn't worried about their fleet, or their ground forces. Her mother had seen to the destruction of many of those. But he was as strong as she was in the mind, and he was the only thing that could stop her.   
  
She had decided that if she were to take their first planet, she would do it with an overwhelming force. She already had transports being fueled for the journey, and she was deciding on which of her generals to send out to take care of it.   
  
She turned around to see her favorite waiting for her. He was a brave one, smart too. He'd overseen the destruction of the fleets around the world they called Planet P, and was the only one of her generals to escape out of the four there. Her mother had planned for that planet to be the secondary base for the bug armies. But the Terrans had invaded once, been beaten back, then come back stronger and taken control.   
  
[What do you want?] She asked him turning her back to him again. She was producing eggs at a far greater rate now. They were now coming out every fifteen seconds. While it was exhausting, she knew that she could take it for at least four years before needing to slow down. Her mother had seen that she was superior to her in many ways.   
  
[Majesty, myself, and several others have grown distressed over you halting of the transports and of your increased anxiety. We merely fear for your safety.] He said, cowering down, leaving his weakest points open.   
  
[Your concern is noted, and appreciated.] She said sharply. She did like him, but she had other problems on her mind. After a minute or two, he spoke again.   
  
[May I inquire as to what has you so perplexed Majesty?]   
  
[He's coming.] She replied coldly.   
  
[My queen, he cannot possibly know our location. We have gone to incredible lengths to hide ourselves.]   
  
[Yes, but nonetheless, he knows where we are, and he's coming.]   
  
[What shall I do Majesty? Would you like transports readied to evacuate?]   
  
[No, we will stay and wait. I do not know whether or not he's coming alone, or if he's coming en masse as they say, but our forces will be prepared, they will not take us.]   
  
[Yes, my queen.] He said. He bowed his head and left her chamber. She was left to brood on her situation. The last thing she needed was for them to attack her here. She needed to make sure that he did not leave alive if he made it to the asteroid field. She would see to it.   
  
  
"Master Sun said…  
  
    War is  
    A grave affair of state;  
    It is a place  
    Of life and death,  
    A road  
    To survival and extinction,  
    A Matter to be pondered carefully.'"  
  
_The Art of War_: 1:01; Sunzi 


	4. Episode 4: Mobilization

"The Reunion"  
Episode 204 – Mobilization  
D-Minus 5 Days  
  
  
  
"As time passed, both SICON and the Tophetti Councils grew lazy. Neither were ready for the bugs to come back. Fortunately, Jonnie was able to convince the Tophetti that they had to prepare themselves. The ability for both to fight back had decreased so much, that any large scale attack would have crippled them to the point of immanent defeat.   
  
"I guess its still amazing to me sometimes how we were able to even fight back as bad as we were spread out. Maybe it was the wake up call we needed to remind us that there was always something out there that was a threat, no matter what you thought."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_   
  
  
LOVELL A-19   
  
The Queen sat alone in her chamber with a small memory drone in front of her. She told her thoughts to it, and it alone. The beauty of the drone was that it reacted to no one but the queen, and a brain if she were killed through some mishap. It sat silent absorbing her thoughts thinking of nothing else.   
  
[My mother had been smart. She planted her eggs all over the galaxy before she personally led the attack on Earth. Over fifteen million were spread out across the systems.] She saw her five dozen transports moving through the stars to the planets to retrieve as many of her hordes that she could.   
  
[And when she died, she made sure that her remaining generals that were out there kept quiet until I made contact with them. But when I did, the result startled me; I found that the number had decreased by half of what it should have been when my mother was killed. From what I was able to find out, it was the human that had actually killed her who was leading the extermination process against my forces.   
  
[As I relay these thoughts to you, I have dozens of transports moving outside of the Terran's abilities to detect, gathering what forces I can get. While one of my primary goals is to retake our home, I will not move there myself for until the vermin are extinguished from my life. I have more to worry about past them.] The queen felt a ping of something in the back of her mind. She shook her massive head and looked through her mind's eye and saw him nearing her.   
  
[Yes, he's almost here. I can feel him getting closer. It's taken him two months. Traveling here at his maximum speed, never stopping. He's growing close. I must admit, he is the only one I fear. The only one of the Terran's I truly fear. There are several others that pose minor threat; his friend, the one they call Rico, and his squad of Terrans. They were a most painful thorn in my mother's side, and they will run the danger of being one in mine. Then there's that other one. The unstable one who was responsible for half of the loses on the planet they call Eden. He tore through everything, never hesitating, never stopping. He was the one that the general there wanted for his own, and in the end, the Terran killed him. Yes, he will be the one I have to look for singularly."   
  
The queen nodded after finishing her last thought. The Terrans had to be eliminated quickly and swiftly, their way was a threat to her. The resolve of their people was unmatched by the countless other species that had been slaughtered by the previous queens. Many of the others had fought longer, harder, and deadlier. But none had ever fought with the tenacity as the Terrans. One species, the Kili, had fought the Bug hordes for three hundred years, and in the end were destroyed. But they had fought until the resources of countless planets had been exhausted, and yet, they never showed the ferocity that the Terrans had. They would give up and let the bugs overrun them if the odds were immeasurable, but the Terrans, would fight to the last man, and then come back if they didn't win. It was a trait rare in the galaxy. Their sense of species was that to match the original queens who had fought for control of Klendathu millennia ago, beating back those which would soon return.   
  
The queen quickly changed thoughts quickly; she did not know who the enemy was, only that they would return one day. She had to quickly prepare her forces, and the only thing that stood in her way was the Terrans. They would fall before her. In their victory over her mother they had grown over confident in themselves, arrogant, delusional. They were on the verge of self collapse. The time was right for her to make her move. She would destroy them then take care of the Tophetti; they were of little consequence to her. Both would fall before her.   
  
  
TOPHET   
  
T'Phai sat alone outside the main hall of the Tophetti Council. The twin suns were high in the sky and their light and heat invigorated T'Phai. He was aging and he knew it. He felt it in his bones and in his joints. Everything was beginning to fall apart inside of him. He had suffered considerably after the war, many doctors talked of giving him a mind wipe and having him start over, but the presence of his kids and some quick action by several of his friends kept him from being pushed into a psych treatment.   
  
Jonnie himself had done all he could to keep T'Phai from being destroyed inside. He fought for two months while T'Phai was kept in a hospital on Tophet under constant surveillance. The loss of his wife and the destruction and death he'd witnessed had pushed him to the brink. The case was common in many troopers, but only a few had been lucky enough to get out with their minds still intact, and even fewer from suicide. T'Phai had spent months trying to rebuild himself, but little was working, he kept slipping into depression.   
  
But then Francis Brutto had shown up on Tophet as a SICON ambassador to discuss conditions for a long term alliance with them. He'd spent a few days ignoring T'Phai and taking care of other business. He'd visited T'Phai's children and Clan hall to speak with the elders of his clan. At the time T'Phai had no idea what was going on. But then, the wake up call came in a fashion T'Phai had never expected.   
  
He'd been asleep in his room in the hospital when the door was thrown open. Brutto sped in on his hover chair and tipped T'Phai's cot over. T'Phai spent a moment trying to gather himself then the shouting began.   
  
"What is this?" Brutto yelled hitting T'Phai with a long pole. "Get your skinny butt up on the bounce. Trooper, this is not acceptable."   
  
T'Phai had jumped up and was at full attention instinctively. He looked down at Brutto who only stared back at him. His eyes were cold and empty, his face a hard glare that broke into T'Phai's very soul. He began to break when he felt a sharp crack across his leg.   
  
"What was that private? Did I give you permission to cry? No I did not! So you will stand at full attention and will not move until I give the order. Am I clear?" Brutto had moved closer and stared up at T'Phai who was just staring straight in front of him. He hadn't said a word. "Am I clear private?" There was another crack across his leg with the pole and he began to break again but stopped quickly before a third hit came.   
  
"That's better." Brutto said with a light smile. "Now private, tell me what is the matter." Brutto's voice calmed slightly and T'Phai had begun to relax when he felt another crack on the leg. "Did I say stand down?"   
  
T'Phai had thought for a second then looked down at Brutto. "It is my fault."   
  
Another swing came and connected, this time across T'Phai's arm. "I didn't ask for a sob story soldier, I asked 'what's wrong with you'! Now what is wrong with you?"   
  
"I cannot bear to hear them anymore in my head!" T'Phai yelled back. Brutto back off a few feet and T'Phai sat his cot back up. He sat down on it and looked at Brutto. If Tophetti could cry the way the human's did, T'Phai's face would have been running with tears.   
  
"I know." Brutto said sympathetically. "I know how you feel."   
  
"How can you possibly know?" T'Phai had spat back in anger; too quickly he realized his err. Brutto looked and glared through T'Phai.   
  
"'How can I possibly know?' I spent months in recuperation trying to rebuild myself. I had to sit back while every day my friends fought for their lives without me there to watch their backs! I had to face the truth that I would never walk again, that my wife would not be coming back to me, and that my only son had to fight against the enemy I should have protected him from! How dare you tell me that I don't know! At least you can walk!" Brutto took a breath and let his words hang in the air. He had seen that they had an effect on T'Phai. He had watched T'Phai take in the words and begin on the long road to his recovery.   
  
"You are my best friend T'Phai, and now I am watching the man that helped me overcome my own personal doubts, crumble into nothing. I know exactly how it is to feel dejected how to feel rejected. I know that you are trying to come to terms with what has happened. But this is not the way to do it. You're kids need you T'Phai. They've already lost their mother, and because you want to be a coward and hide, they're running the risk of losing their father. Is that what you want?"   
  
T'Phai looked up at the sky. He was back in front of the council building. The past was where it was meant to be and he had learned from it. As it was now, T'Phai was back to one hundred percent, maybe a little less. He was the man he once was, proud, strong, a leader, and a loving father. M'Rett was in courtship with a male from another clan. He was strong, brave, but stupid. And T'Phal was busy with the Tophetti Defense Force. He was a Lieutenant now in their military and commanded a wing of Tophetti fighters. He was proud of his children and their lives. Anytime he thought of them, he could feel his insides swelling up with joy and pride.   
  
T'Phai could hear the council members screaming inside the building. It had only been a day since they'd received word from SICON about the bug activity and the council was not happy. Things had been going well for Tophet over the past five years. Their four cruisers were fully operational with more on the way. T'Phai was lucky enough to have command of one, and since it had been in dry dock for the past two weeks. He was ready to get back to it.   
  
The political climate on Tophet had far surpassed T'Phai's personal wishes. Fighting amongst council members raged in ever session, whether it be how to best allocate water resources, or whether it was how to supply disabled veterans. One topic that was taking receiving a lot of flak was the issue on SICON relations. While economic and diplomatic ties had been good since the end of the war, council greed and SICON's squandering of itself has led many to believe SICON a waste of time. Now that Tophet had her own ships (few as they were) some even questioned whether or not SICON was ripe for the picking.   
  
Being who he was, T'Phai had the control over the delegates to shoot down such preposterous ideas. It wasn't actual power that he had, but since he is T'Phai, he had certain sway and pull in the council. Twice before they had tried to have him elected as Viceroy of the planet, and twice he'd refused. He didn't want the responsibility of the entire planet on his shoulders. The weight was unbearable he could imagine. He knew what it felt like to have the weight of a squad or platoon under him, and that could become quite unsettling. But an entire planet was beyond him. He felt that maybe Tophet was better off ruling itself, but the shouting and screaming inside left him wondering otherwise very often.   
  
The curses and shouts left T'Phai wishing to back in space, on his ship. His new rank of commodore left him feeling empty without his ship, the M'Tre, named after one of the greatest Tophetti war hero's in their history. M'Tre was a general who led the Tophetti forces against the first invasion of the bugs fifteen years earlier. He had led an army of two hundred thousand warriors against the bugs and forced them to retreat back into space. Unfortunately the battle cost the general his life and over half of his army, leading way for the bugs to return with a larger, stronger force.   
  
The past was never to be lived again, and he knew that. But he kept his mind open to what it meant, and what it taught. The loss of M'Tre and his army cost Tophet many of its sons and daughters, and from that, they were determined to never let the bugs enslave them again.   
  
T'Phai waited anxiously now for Jonnie. He should arrive soon. The thought of seeing his old friend filled his heart with happiness, but he wished that it could be under better circumstances. He'd received the message from Carl late into the night and was surprised to find it address to Jonnie. T'Phai did not know why Carl had sent it to him, or why he'd locked it, leaving T'Phai unable to forward it to Jonnie. Whatever Carl was planning, T'Phai knew that he was doing it for the best.   
  
  
TOPHET ORBIT   
  
Jonnie looked out the forward viewing lounge of the _Threshold_ down at Tophet. He could see the Tophetti dry dock and the ship it contained. He was amazed at the speed at which the Tophetti were beginning to stretch their legs into space travel, especially with the help of SICON.   
  
The _Threshold_ had been delayed three days due to various problems. Hull breaches and damaged relays caused the ship to begin to burn. Her engines were came close to exploding from the stresses created by continues speed. Four people were killed and seventeen injured by a ruptured plasma relay and the fire it caused. Four hours of fire fighting couldn't put it out and the crew was forced to decompress four decks, causing the loss of one, an Ensign Kylene Mathews, someone's daughter, sister, or even more. An explosion in the engine room caused a forty foot hole to be opened in the side of the ship, which in turn cause them a day to just patch it up and get back under way. From what he understood, the _Threshold_ would be allowed into one the Tophetti docks and repairs would be carried out. It seems someone on the planet has the kind of pull to allow something like that to be taken care of immediately.   
  
Jonnie walked to the main hanger in silence. He ignored the salutes and greetings he received on the way. He was already in full power suit and ready to land on the planet. He'd decided he'd be going alone to meet with T'Phai. He reached the launch bay quickly and boarded the transport. It was nothing more than a retrieval ship that was going to be landing him, a common practice. After seating himself in the back with a small data pad, the pilot boarded and moved to the cockpit after noticing Rico's disposition in the hangar.   
  
  
TOPHET   
  
{T'Phai!} The voice screamed from inside the office. T'Phai had been walking quietly back to the rotunda to speak with the chairman about Rico's impending arrival. The loud yelp had startled T'Phai away from his train of thought and he was forced to turn after remembering where the voice had come from. He stared into the office of Representative B'Ref of the J'owl clan. His eyes stared hard from their aging black pits. He was well over one hundred, but he still tried to act like a younger Tophetti. T'Phai entered his office with annoyance and discontent; he did not like the elder.   
  
{Yes?} He bit. He wanted to leave B'Ref's presence as quickly as possible.   
  
{Who gave you authority to allow the _Threshold_ to dock?} He asked returning T'Phai's attitude.   
  
{No one 'gave me the authority'; I simply asked the yard commander if he could spare a day to allow the ship time to repair. As you know, I have asked Major Rico here as a guest. There are several matters he and I need to address in person.} T'Phai said barely keeping his anger in check.   
  
{Next time you need to clear it with the council!} B'Ref yelled.   
  
{I most certainly do not!} T'Phai quickly countered; he could no longer contain his anger. {You are of little importance. I delivered my report to the council this morning, you know what we face. If I find the need to speak with a SICON official, that is my prerogative, not yours.}   
  
{You are not a member of this council T'Phai; you have no real power, only the sympathy of a few!} B'Ref concluded. T'Phai let out a low growl but decided to leave it at that and left the office. He and B'Ref had been rivals since before the Bugs had enslaved their people. B'Ref was a very head strong individual who cared for little more than personal gain.   
  
The main rotunda was a large expansive room with chairs arranged in a circle around the middle podium where anyone who wished to speak could, for five minutes. Several council members were still in their seats, discussing matters amongst themselves. He didn't have to wonder what it was they were talking about because he already knew. Everyone wanted to know what they could do in the two week timeframe that the SICON psychics were giving, and if they couldn't what were their options then?   
  
Of course the Tophetti would stand next to their human friends, and the Humans would do the same. But the timing of impending attack could not be worse. Both governments' military's were in a state of perpetual limbo. Neither was either of their Navy's, especially the Tophetti. They had five ships already completed and in service, with another five due through out the coming year. Their infantry strength was less than SICON's, no body wanted to fight anymore, and T'Phai couldn't blame them, he didn't want to fight anymore.   
  
He sat down in one of the chairs facing the main entrance and waited. He was waiting for Rico to land; the two had much to discuss. The data pad which T'Phai had downloaded Carl's message to was sitting in his right pocket. Why he'd sent it to Tophet had stumped T'Phai. Carl had to have known that Jonnie was no where near the planet and that the journey would take him days if not weeks. He sure hoped that Carl had some method to his reasoning.   
  
The chairman walked in from his office on the right side of the rotunda. N'Til was startled to see T'Phai, and even more surprised that T'Phai did not seem to notice him. N'Til stepped slowly as to not try and startle T'Phai.   
  
{It is okay N'Til,} T'Phai said at length. {I know you're here.}   
  
{You seem, detached my friend.} N'Til said sitting next to T'Phai.   
  
{I have much on my mind.}   
  
{I have noticed that. Is it about your Terran friend?} N'Til asked remembering T'Phai's report that morning.   
  
{That is one of them, yes.} T'Phai finally looked at N'Til. {I am frightened. Frightened as to what the message may say, frightened as to what is going to happen in the coming weeks. We are not prepared for any sort of war.}   
  
{This is true,} N'Til said after going over the problems in his head. He was a general in his younger years, T'Phai's superior. He had been one of the lucky few to escape the control bug's during the war and lead an effective, if yet somewhat minimal resistance to the bugs prior to the human's arrival. {But we were not ready before either. And we were able to survive.}   
  
{Perhaps. But I think this time, we will be facing something slightly different.} T'Phai let his words linger in the hair. N'Til simply nodded and left T'Phai to his own in the rotunda.   
  


*****

  
  
Jonnie stepped off of the transport and onto the tarmac of the landing field. It was little more than four pads and a single building for registration. The twin suns were beating down hard, and even though the suit had its own temperature levels, he was still feeling kind of warm.   
  
The trip down had been rather bumpy. The transport almost felt like it was having to maneuver through bug plasma for a while. After the ride smoothed out, Jonnie saw the new Tophet landscape. Since the end of the war, with SICON help, Tophet had grown into a major industrial planet. He could see smoke stacks rising into the air, billowing a white steam. Major highways were being built stretching across the entire planet. Things were beginning to look up for Tophet.   
  
Jonnie made his way across the field to the check in station. He saw a small hover car sitting outside and the Tophetti in it eyed him for a moment. Rico figured it was for him but would wait until he was approached to question it, he'd just as soon walk.   
  
The Tophetti walked up to him. "You are Major Rico. Correct?"   
  
"Yes, I am." Jonnie replied. He'd noticed this Tophetti's voice was more guttural, deeper and more accented that T'Phai's.   
  
"My name is K'Ntak, I am an aide to Representative T'Phai, he asked me to bring you to him at the capital."   
  
"Thank you." Jonnie said following K'Ntak to the car.   
  
"I must say, I am deeply honored to be meeting you Major. It is not everyday that one gets to meet a living legend." K'Ntak said opening the passenger door for Jonnie.   
  
"I'm no legend." Jonnie sat and the door was shut. K'Ntak hurried around the car and got in.   
  
"But you are Major, on Tophet; all know the history of the Roughnecks. You are placed among P'Ton, J'Kok'n, M'Tre, and T'Phai. We see you as a hero of our free peoples." K'Ntak said flooring the accelerator and sending the car into the air.   
  
"I am gracious." Jonnie forced a smile. If only the young one knew how prejudice he'd been, maybe he'd be viewed differently. He sat back and listened to K'Ntak go on about his childhood and his hopes and dreams. Jonnie just wait intently, wishing for times of simplicity.   
  
"The political, economical, and sociological climates on our two worlds have drastically caught us in a state of unpreparedness my friend." T'Phai said as he set a small box on the table Rico sat at. They were in a small conference room. The normal orange and brown was all over the place, the colors of the Tophetti Federation. "As we speak, my people are still trying to catch up to the Terrans, and your people are in a state of perpetual limbo. Everything is at a critical point in our histories. We have defeated our enemies, only to face the prospect of something worse."   
  
Jonnie looked up at him. "What do you mean?"   
  
"I do not know what information is in the box. It was sent to me, with instructions to download it into a mobile holocube. I did so, and have not yet been able to access it. It requires you, some code I believe. Carl's voice said only you would know the answer."   
  
"We may not want to know."   
  
"I have thought of that." T'Phai sat down. "As we speak my friend, in the main rotunda, my people fight amongst themselves. Our clans were once united, in war, by blood, and now, we fight for the greed of those in power."   
  
"Yeah, I know how that works. On Earth, everybody is too concerned with trying to stay away from anything dangerous. Our colonies are filled with cowards who think they know everything, and SICON has forgotten who it was. A few do still remember, but for the most part, it's gone soft." Jonnie said shifting his weight in the uncomfortable chair.   
  
"I have noticed that." T'Phai tapped the center of the box. The top flipped up and a small lens popped out followed by a small speaker. The image that appeared was that of the Tophetti insignia; an orange oval with the eighteen clans symbols in the center, around one that symbolized a unified Tophet. A small light in the upper right corner began to blink then it was replaced by Carl's face.   
  
"This is as far I have gotten" T'Phai said sitting back.   
  
Rico straightened out as Carl's voice sounded. "Jonnie, when did we go to Colorado for spring break, the one that made us sick beyond anything?"   
  
Rico laughed. He remembered the event well. After getting back, the two had puked for three hours because of the change in water, 2075. And no one knew it. He relayed it to the box and the image wavered. Carl started speaking, revealing what he had discovered about the bugs.   
  
"Jonnie, two months ago, I awoke from a nightmare. At least, that's what I had thought it was. Over the next three nights, it was the same thing, and then I realized what it was. It was communications. I was hearing what the remnants of the bug hordes were doing. At first, it didn't affect me, then I realized, there was voice there, similar to on I had heard long ago and hoped I'd never hear again.   
  
"The queen is back Jonnie, a new one. This one is producing bugs at a rate that her mother would have envied. She's readying herself for an invasion, and soon. The transports are all over the place, knowing where and how to evade SICON listening posts. Jonnie, they're coming. And soon. SICON is not in the state in needs to be in to counter any kind of large scale bug attack. I would have sent a message earlier, but I just recently got signal to do so and I didn't want to risk revealing my position to the Queen, though she knows I'm coming. But I had to risk it now, we're out of time. I couldn't risk this going to SICON directly, to many channels to break through, to many questions. This went to T'Phai because he'd be able to pull you in above anyone else. You're a ghost now." Carl looked uneasy for a moment. "I'm going to try and beat her myself, one on one. I hope I see you again Jonnie. Goodbye." The screen went blank and was replaced after a moment with the Tophetti Symbol.   
  
SICON knew some of this, but as Carl was telling it, SICON had days, not weeks. Rico sat for a moment after the message ended. The box folded itself up, a closure to the news.   
  
"This cannot be happening." T'Phai broke. He stood and exited. Rico followed him and the two entered the main rotunda of the Tophetti capital. The representatives broke from their debate and stared at the two. Quickly T'Phai began speaking and silenced several who tried to stop him and enter their own opinion. After a few moments, everything was silent. The chairman spoke calmly and everybody got up and left. T'Phai turned as the chairman entered his office.   
  
"Things have been set in motion. Our people will be mobilized."   
  
"Good. That solves one of the things I had to do without me even having to lift a finger." Jonnie told T'Phai about his conversation with Zim.   
  
"Things will be ready my friend, perhaps now you would like some rest?"   
  
"No, I need to contact SICON, relay the message to them." Jonnie said going back into the small room. He grabbed the small box and spun to see T'Phai in his face. "I need to get this to them. It's been unlocked, so they can see it."   
  
"Follow me." T'Phai said. He led Jonnie into a side office where communications equipment was stacked to the ceiling. T'Phai sat at the console and began to go through the coordinates and readies the station for Jonnie. "It is yours. All you have to do is specify the exact location on Earth."   
  
Jonnie thought for a moment about where would be the best place to locate Zim. Then he figured probably at home since he hated to be at the HQ. Always had. The coordinates for his home and within seconds, his friend's face was filling the screen.   
  
"Jonnie!" Zim looked tired, rough. Jonnie had forgotten the time differences, but he knew his friend wouldn't care.   
  
"Charlie, I'm sending you something, you need to see this." Jonnie let T'Phai hook the box into the system. "It's my message from Carl." The information was sent and soon Jonnie heard Carl's voice on the other side and Zim's face went pale.   
  
"Oh my God." He looked back up at Jonnie. "Orders were sent out today; all personnel are reporting tomorrow and shipping out. The Jean Razak will be making its way for Tophet to rendezvous with you and plan the next move."   
  
Jonnie bit his lip. He wanted to know if Dizzy had had orders issued too, but he knew it wasn't any of his business. "Is it my squad?"   
  
Zim smiled. "Of course, and I'll be coming along. You need someone to keep them safe from you."   
  
Jonnie returned the smile. "I'll see you soon my friend." The screen went black. He swiveled around to T'Phai. "What about you?"   
  
"I have responsibilities here." He said low. "Several clan heads believe it to be nothing more than over active presumption. They don not see any threat. Now we must ready what troops we have to move out, without their support. I unfortunately, am left in the position of organizing much of this; they will need my help to coordinate everything.   
  
"But you are welcomed on Tophet, and asked to stay as long as you would like." T'Phai said as an afterthought almost. Jonnie could see the stress building up in him.   
  
"Thank you, but no." He stood and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "There's a lot of work to be done on the Threshold, so I have to get back to it and see what I can do to help."   
  
"Of course." T'Phai said standing. "Tophet resources are at your disposal."   
  
Jonnie thanked T'Phai and left. The trip back to the port was quiet and the flight to the _Threshold_ even more so. The entire time, the only thing on his mind was the love of his life: Dizzy.   
  
  
EARTH   
  
Gossard landed with a thud on the hard wood of the dock. The sun was shining at the horizon and the gulls called out in the air. He caught Jessie as she jumped. They smiled, embraced and kissed. There was a slight cough from the top of the deck.   
  
"A-hem." Gossard turned to see a man in full SICON uniform waiting with a folder in his hands.   
  
"Can I help you?" He asked. Putting Jessie down softly.   
  
"Lieutenant Jeffery Gossard, I am here to issue you your reactivation orders." The man walked down the plank and handed Jeff the papers. He saluted and did an immediate about face. He looked over the orders and crumpled the paper in his hands and threw them in the lake. He turned around to Jessie.   
  
"What is it?" She asked.   
  
"I'll be back soon, I promise." He said and climbed the rope back up to the boat. He packed his things and left an hour later for war.   
  


*****

  
Doc Lacroix was shaken from sleep around twelve AM in his office by a knocking on the door. A thin manila folder slid under it and he heard footsteps steadily receding. Groggily he turned on his light and walked over to the folder. The SICON insignia was not a good sign to him. He picked it up and opened the folder. The single piece of paper shot chills down his spine.   
  
He'd heard the rumors from the inside. Higgins and the Serge had informed him a little on what had been going on. He had hoped to God that it was just rumors. He put the folder down on his desk and left it at that. He left shortly there after on an extended leave of absence.   
  


*****

  
Robert Higgins was sitting alone in the main broadcast station for FEDNET when a secretary tapped him on the shoulder.   
  
"Excuse me sir, there's a SICON officer here to see you." Robert turned around and saw an Officer speaking with his boss. Robert got up and went out to the two. Within ten minutes, he was heading home to pack his things and catch a transport for Geneva.   
  


*****

  
"Sergeant Brutto, do you copy?" Max heard in his headset. The rain pounded down on his helmet and he could see the three dozen soldiers moving through the trenches. Tracer firer arched across the mud and sand as several warrior bugs moved towards them. An explosion ripped one into pieces and sent it flying all over the place.   
  
"Sergeant Brutto!" The voice repeated.   
  
His boys didn't see the warrior coming up over the hill to their right. He jumped down into the trench and took it out with one shot. He grabbed the ape closest to him and threw him into the mud. He held his face in it for a moment then let him up.   
  
"You are dead soldier! And two of your buddies!" He said walking over him and throwing two more down. "You three are dead. You bought the farm!"   
  
"Sir, next time—" One began.   
  
"There is no next time soldier!" He spat. "You stay where you are!" He walked over them.   
  
"Sergeant Brutto!" The voice came again.   
  
"What base!" he shouted turning around and taking out a warrior. "I'm a little busy."   
  
"You are ordered to break engagement immediately and return to base for reassignment." The voice said. Max froze.   
  
"You have got to be kidding me!" He yelled.   
  
"No sergeant. A squad is on its way to contain the warriors for later use. You are ordered to pull your men out and return to base." The line went dead.   
  
Max got his three soldiers up. "It happens, next time, you'll know." He said. "All forces: retreat!"   
  
The men scrambled out of the trenches and began to move back. Soon, a skimmer shot over head and landed with a half dozen MI. Max couldn't see what happened to the warriors, but the weapons fire died down after a moment as the troops slowed to a march.   
  
They moved out of the mountains and soon were only a mile away when another skimmer flew over then landed in front of them. The man who stepped out only filled Max with dread and disgust, and yet, also joy at seeing an old friend.   
  
"Zim!" He yelled. "This is because of you, what were you thinking-" Max was cutoff by a stiff jab to the mouth.   
  
"You have been reassigned to me Sergeant for the time being!" Zim said as Max recoiled. "Sergeant Mason will be returning your men to the base. Get on board the skimmer."   
  
The recruits all watched in a mystified horror at how their DI had just been told to shut up in so many words. The DI's were supposed to be untouchable, and now, theirs had been reduced to just another grunt.   
  
"Not until I know what's going on." Max said standing his ground.   
  
Zim scowled at Max and was mere inches from his face when he said: "You will get on that skimmer immediately or I will have you for my self." Zim showed the bars on his shoulder and stared down hard. "That information is classified; you will be briefed on our way to Geneva. Do you get me?"   
  
"Yes, sir." Max reluctantly said. He got on the skimmer, soon followed by Zim who had been barking out a few orders and threats. He walked up the ramp which retracted quickly and had the doors slide shut. He looked down at Max and smiled.   
  
"It's good to see you son." He said. "I'm glad to know you've been taking care of yourself and following in the good work."   
  
Max grumbled slightly and then let his anger pass and looked up at Zim. "It's been a long time Lieutenant. Now can you tell me what's going on? I've heard the rumors and the base has been going crazy, what is happening out there?"   
  
Zim sat down next to Max and let out a sigh. "The rumors are true, the fleets being mobilized; all able veterans are being recalled. The Roughnecks are shipping out tomorrow for Tophet." He took a breath and looked at Max. "Just like old times."   
  
The skimmer set down at the base and Max quickly recovered a few personal items then set out with Zim on a transport for Europe to set out for Tophet. The war was now on the horizon.   
  
  
"Master Sun Said...   
  
Of old,  
    The Skillful Warrior  
    First ensured  
    His own   
    Invulnerability;  
    Then he waited for  
    The enemy's  
    Vulnerability."  
  
_The Art of War_: Chapter 4:1; Sunzi 


	5. Episode 5: Another Chapter Begins

"The Reunion"  
Episode 205 – "Another Chapter Begins"   
D-Minus 4 Days  
  
"Dizzy was an emotional wreck now. Unfortunately after the war it was a common thing among veterans. No branch, nor any squad, was exempt from the later casualties and victims of the war. The psychological effects left on people drove many to suicide, insanity or simply they just had the standard post traumatic flashbacks into their past; mostly some of the most stressful points. These problems have all been dealt with and are down to nil in the modern world.   
  
But Isabel's problems were different. The war had only minor effects on her psyche, and her brother vouched for that. Though he said they talked sparingly, he knew she was too strong to let the war get to her. Her troubles reached deeper into the human heart. The loss of two loves can drive anyone into utter confusion and despair, I know this all to well."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_  
  
  
  
EARTH  
  
Johan Nietzsche looked over the slopping hills of green grass in his native Austria. He'd only been 5 when the war had ended, but he remembered their bloodstained past. He remembered the smell of rotting flesh, human and bug. The noon sun shown down on him in all its magnificent glory and allowed him to feel a warmth that many said had been taken from him. The wind blew softly against his face and he closed his eyes as the smell of fresh spring flowers filled his mind.   
  
His long brown hair blew in beautiful waves that all women found absolutely invigorating. He opened his eyes back and looked back down on the grass. His vision wandered slowly over the massive structures that had been erected to house the five hundred thousand troops that had been called into duty over the past week. In the areas directly around the camp, the grass had disappeared and left only the bare brown dirt beneath.   
  
The long coat he wore blew out behind him as a gust of wind found its way down the mountains to his east and the transport lifting off for space. He watched as it soared over his head and kicked up dust all around and his hands found there way to his collar which he pulled closer about his neck.   
  
He hated the bugs. They cause the destruction of so much, even now. He turned his back on the camp and made his way back to the city, where more and more troops were massing. He was tired of the war.   
  


*****

  
"'You don't know the truth!'" Gossard yelled stepping down from the transport onto the hard cement of the space port in Geneva, in full powered armor. He held his duffel bag over his shoulder lightly and moved quickly away from the transport. Doc, Zim and Max followed closely behind, along with another two dozen troopers. "What's that supposed to mean? I know about the baby, and the divorce, what else is there to know?"   
  
"The circumstances!" Doc yelled over the whine of transports landing and taking off.   
  
"Well do enlighten us." Came Max's sarcasm. Zim quickly taught him his error with a quick kick in his rear that sent him stumbling across the tarmac.   
  
"Stow it trooper! That's classified!" Zim ordered.   
  
"How is that classified?" Max asked.   
  
"Need to know basis." Contempt was all Max had received for the past day, and Zim wasn't about to stop.   
  
"And let me guess, I don't need to know?" Max rolled his eyes and sighed.   
  
"Maybe you can learn something!" Zim said in mock astonishment. "Maybe I did knock enough into your head in boot." Max bit his lip and the four slowly walked across the tarmac to the registration building that had been set up to allow for troopers to receive their ship assignments and departure times. Though they already knew there's, for logistical purposes, the four were forced to sign their way through.   
  
The Roughnecks laughed and joked about old times and their lives since all the way through the registry building, which was little more than a temporary plastic box filled with equipment of various sorts. Along the back wall were about thirty small computers where the troops signed their names and were spit their orders from the small printers.   
  
"Anyone heard from the paper boy?" Gossard asked signing his name and taking his order slip that came out. He looked at the sheet and chewed his lip for a second.   
  
"About a week ago," Doc said taking his slip. "He was there when Sanchez died." Max stepped up and took his slip.   
  
"Bout time the old man bit the dust."   
  
"For once I agree with you Brutto." Zim grabbed his slip and crumpled it in his hand. "But for different reasons." He threw it behind his shoulder.   
  
They walked out into the city where transports were waiting to take them to the massing point ten miles outside the limits. Troops were climbing up into the back of trucks while clerks checked off each troops name on their data pads.   
  
Zim was the last to step up into the truck where he sat onto the hard metal with a huff. As the truck started up and began to rumble off the street towards the rallying point.   
  


*****

  
It had been just two hours before, dawn in San Francisco. Zim, Gossard and Doc had arranged for a special meeting of sorts to take place just south of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was cool and the smell of the sea was all about them. The sun was beginning to smile over the city horizon when she arrived. She was still beautiful, maybe more so since she'd calmed down after the war. She walked slowly out to the three of them who were standing looking out over the bay.   
  
"Hello Rico." Zim said after a moment of stillness. That immediately turned the mood sour and Dizzy's words were like a hissing poison.   
  
"That's not my name." She spat. The venom and strength sunk into Gossard and Doc who quickly turned around, startled more so by the nature of her response that from the act itself.   
  
"Only by a simple choice." Zim replied.   
  
"A choice I made a long time ago." She breathed heavily for a second. "Did you call me here to open wounds I had to force to heal?" She looked at the three of them then let a faint smile crease her thin lips. She hugged Goss then Doc and stared at Zim's back. "I've missed you guys."   
  
"We've missed you too." Doc said. "How have you been? Everything okay?" He cast a quizzical eye over her figure.   
  
"I'm fine, been so for about five years." She bit her lip and looked away towards the bay.   
  
"We're here to talk Dizzy." Gossard said stepping forward putting his hand on her chin and redirecting her gaze back to them. "And the answers aren't there, I know, I've looked."   
  
"I haven't." She said holding the tears back. She sniffed and wiped her nose.   
  
An uneasy silence settled and Zim finally turned around. "I know your messaging service works. Why don't you use it?"   
  
"Another choice I made." She said softly.   
  
"A long time ago?" he brought her close and hugged her to his chest.   
  
"Daily. When the need arises." She said sobbing into his white shirt. She broke away after a moment and wiped her eyes clean. "But I never delete them. That would hurt too much."   
  
Gossard stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. "You really shouldn't introvert yourself so much. We're your friends, your-"   
  
"Family?" She interrupted. "I know that. You and my brother are all I have left."   
  
"So why did you drive away the one who cared the most about you?" Zim asked. She shot him an icy glare that made him step back a second. The sun was now halfway above the horizon, casting down warm reds, oranges and yellows.   
  
"It was a mutual thing." She said turning her back on him. She slowly hugged herself and looked up at Doc.   
  
"You know what happened. Why do we always have to go through this?" She asked stepping past him.   
  
She walked towards the woods then fell to her knees sobbing. Zim and Gossard began to walk after her but Doc stopped them.   
  
"She's right." He said with a sigh. "This happens every time she and I try and meet for a check up."   
  
Gossard looked at her as she sobbed, pity filling his voice. "What happened exactly?"   
  
"Rico was called back into action three years after the end of the war when there was that attempted brain coup on Planet P. Dizzy was six months pregnant at the time. Of course there was no way for Rico to be there for its birth and it was born without its father being within twenty light-years.   
  
"The baby was born with an extreme case sickle-cell anemia and high blood pressure. After several failed attempts to help it through medications and two operations, the baby died at three weeks old. I had been on top of the case and unfortunately could do nothing to save it, that's the one no one knows about, she wanted me to keep it secret. Dizzy didn't want sympathy; she wanted her baby and her husband back.   
  
"When Rico heard about it, he went into a depression and buried himself in his work. He stopped calling, never wrote, and for three months, didn't answer any calls from anyone. Dizzy ended up holding a lot of anger towards him for not being there, even though it was not his fault, and for his somewhat selfish attitude on the matter. She had divorce papers sent to Rico and he was forced to eventually sign them." He said stepping back and looking at Dizzy who was had buried her face in her hands. "They haven't spoken in years. But from what I can tell, he's always trying."   
  
Gossard looked at his feet, his words caught in his throat. "I didn't know it went that deep."   
  
"Few do, she didn't want anyone to know. Rico doesn't know who knows and who doesn't, that's why he hasn't been back to Earth in five years; he doesn't want to know, he doesn't want the pity."   
  
Zim chewed on his cheek for a moment then looked up as if he had been stabbed with shock-stick. He pushed Doc aside and stomped over to Dizzy at a quick pace.   
  
"On your feet soldier!" He ordered grabbing her by the arm and forcing her up. She found her footing and looked at him astonished, tears still streaming from her eyes. "What is this crap you're doing? My soldiers do not cry!" He released her arm.   
  
"I am not one of your toys anymore 'Charlie'!" She yelled back, pounding her fist into his chest. "I'm not a soldier! I'm not a trooper! I'm not a Roughneck!"   
  
"Then what are you?" He ordered.   
  
"I don't know!" She cried, her cheeks being flooded with tears of anguish and pain. "Why are you doing this?"   
  
"Because little lady, you need to get with the picture!" He glared down at her and bent his head down to her eye level. "Do you get me trooper?"   
  
She looked away from him. "I don't have time for this." She began to turn away but was held by a firm grip on her arm. She turned back to see Zim holding onto her.   
  
"I did not give you permission to leave." He said calmly.   
  
"Let go of me Charlie!" She yelled.   
  
"Zim-" Gossard was quickly cut off by Zim's other hand stiffly rising. "I hope he knows what he's doing." He mumbled.   
  
"Me too." Doc echoed watching the scene in front of them.   
  
"Do you have some pressing appointment to attend Rico?" He asked holding her in place.   
  
"That's not my name dammit! Stop calling me that!" She yelled, the water returning from her eyes.   
  
Zim held up a small pad in front of her face. On it was a public ID profile on her. It included height, weight, eye color, hair color, home address, next of kin, and most importantly, name. "What does that say?"   
  
Dizzy's mouth slowly fell open and her face turned pale, her hardened eyes turned soft again. She stopped struggling and her arm was slowly released.   
  
"He doesn't know that. Does he?" Zim asked softly. Doc and Gossard were behind wondering exactly what had just happened. "You never sent those divorce papers in; or am I wrong?"   
  
"No." She said softly turning away in shame.   
  
"Then why the charade? Why the games? Why the endless cycle of pain you two are putting each other through?" He asked looking down on her   
  
"I didn't start this." She said.   
  
"Neither did he."   
  
"He didn't help it much." She said stepping past him and looking out at the sun, which was now barely above the horizon.   
  
"Neither do you."   
  
"How do you know so much?" She bit turning back to him.   
  
"You forget who I am." He said turning to face her and the sun. "You forget what information I can get."   
  
She looked him in the eye. "Are you spying on me Charlie? Because that would be a serious misallocation of military resources, wouldn't it?"   
  
Zim smiled. "You know better than that."   
  
She looked at him for a moment. "You did come here to open wounds back up."   
  
"No Dizzy, I came here to try and close them for good." He said softly.   
  
"What do you mean?" She asked.   
  
"We're shipping out. For Tophet. I know you've seen the news."   
  
"Yeah, a possible large scale bug attack. Is it true?"   
  
"Yes, and its not an attack, its an invasion. We don't know where they're hitting, or when. But we know its going to be several planets, and soon." He took a breath. "Dizzy, we don't know what's coming, we don't know what's going to happen, don't throw away your last chance." He looked down at his watch, it was time to leave.   
  
"Last chance for what?" She asked. Zim motioned and Doc and Goss joined him. The two embraced her quickly and turned away.   
  
"Good bye Dizzy." Gossard said rubbing his hand through her hair and stepping away.   
  
"Bye Diz." Doc followed, kissing her softly on her cheek. "Take care of yourself." He turned his back on her and walked away. Zim looked down on her.   
  
"Last chance for what?" She asked grabbing his shirt.   
  
"In war, people die." He said simply. "I never got to say good bye to Jean, or tell him how good of a friend he was. Don't make my mistake." He grabbed her and held her for a moment and then joined Gossard and Doc at the small car and left for the transport where Max was waiting.   
  
Dizzy had stayed at the over look, looking out into the blue waters, where she'd lost so much before. The same waters where she'd lost the man who had been her father for three years of bloody combat, and her teacher. The waters that took and didn't return, much like time itself. She waited for two hours before returning home.   
  


*****

  
The truck sped through the streets of Geneva for about twenty minutes before exiting the city limits and quickly coming out into open land. It then only took another ten minutes until they reached the camp. Small temps had been set up to house and feed the soldiers over the coming days while their final orders were processed. The Roughnecks, the Wolves and a handful of other squads were the only ones shipping out immediately, most of which were on board the _Jean Razak_, heading for Tophet to rendezvous with the _Threshold_ and other ships. From there, they would move to the sectors where it looked like the bug invasion was going to hit heaviest.   
  
Zim, Max, Goss and Doc all jumped down from the truck and slowly began to trek to the launch pads that had been fashioned. All around, they saw mostly young faces. Kids who had never seen real combat with the bugs, just the controlled battles in boot, maybe a little more. But it was different when your enemy wasn't fitted with a device the DI could activate that would destroy the creature if the situation got too dicey.   
  
All were about some task or another, most of it seemed to be inventory. SICON had a lot of dust to clean off before all squads could be fully assembled, and that was still a good three weeks away. Zim shook his head.   
  
"What?" Max asked seeing the action.   
  
"We're not ready." Zim said surveying the green troops that came into his view. "We're not going to be ready when they hit."   
  
Max sighed. "The ones coming out rely too much on their weapons, rather than their guts."   
  
Zim laughed out loud. "Son, we all do. It's something that eventually grows on us and we forget our earlier faults."   
  
Max thought about it for a second. "I guess you're right."   
  
"I've been doing this for a lot longer than you, I know." He said. They reached the pads and saw that the mechanics were working on a transport, its engine casings removed. Gossard walked up and looked over the work being done.   
  
"What's going on?" He asked a mechanic stepping down from the right engine.   
  
"The fuel injectors are offline, looks like bad wiring in the secondary relay switch." He said stepping past Gossard.   
  
"What about the primary?" he asked which brought a laugh out of the mechanic.   
  
"The primaries were shot when the secondary's overloaded them. They were trying to reroute power on the descent and _bam!_ There they went."   
  
Gossard looked over the casing. He grabbed a handful of wires and pulled them down. The mechanic jumped and ran back to him.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?" He asked slapping Gossard's hand.   
  
"You're trying to reroute the power flow through the primary feeds for the ignition?" He asked looking back into the engine.   
  
"Yeah! We think it'll work." He was becoming agitated. "You want to stop messing everything up and let me get back to work?"   
  
"Sure, go ahead, but I won't be riding on that crate." Gossard turned and saw that Max and Doc had separated from Zim who was left alone with his arms crossed and a grin on his face. Gossard gave him a quick smirk and wink then began walking towards him.   
  
"Why not?" The mechanic asked grabbing Goss's shoulder.   
  
"You're going to be sending to much power through the ignition. What it's going to do is end up releasing too much fuel from the over load and you'll get a nice explosion before take off." Gossard smiled. "At least that's the possibility. But we're not in a huge rush to leave the planet. Now say if there were three dozen bugs coming after me, I'd jump on a nuke if I thought it would get me out of there without becoming a Brain's snack." He winked at the mechanic. "But we're not in that sort of situation. Have fun fixing it right."   
  
He left the mechanic to think while he returned to Zim.   
  
"Where'd the others go?" He asked.   
  
"Max went to make a personal call and Doc was hungry. They've got fifteen minutes before I told them to meet me back here." Zim looked down at his watch. "You've got ten minutes left if you want to try and do anything."   
  
Gossard looked around. "That thing won't be ready for at least thirty minutes. I caught him trying to take a dangerous short cut. He was giving us a fifty-fifty chance of making it into space."   
  
Zim looked back down at his watch. "Nine minutes."   
  
Gossard sighed and began to scan for the communications tent. He found it with a surprisingly small crowd. He looked back at Zim and made a break for the tent.   
  


*****

  
The inside was a jumble of communications equipment hooked to satellite transmitters. Max was sitting at one terminal watching the screen as it dialed the number he put in. The line at the bottom of 'dialing..." was going into its second minute and he was beginning to think that his call would never go through until it finally changed to 'connecting to recipient...' which was replaced quickly by his father's face.   
  
"Max!" Brutto exclaimed into son's ear. Behind him Max could see it was day in Hawaii through his father's glass wall at SICON HQ.   
  
"Hey dad, how's it going?" He asked speaking into the small microphone that had been fitted around his head to allow for maximum privacy in the environment.   
  
"Not bad, where are you at?" He asked trying to look around him.   
  
"You know I can't tell you." He smiled. Brutto shrugged.   
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot." He looked into his son's eyes. "Just a quick 'hello'?"   
  
Max looked down for a moment. "You know what's happening don't you?"   
  
"Yes, I do. You setting out?"   
  
"Yes, sir." Max replied softly.   
  
"Tophet I'm assuming?" He asked again.   
  
"Perhaps. I know that I'm not going to be back anytime soon." He said.   
  
"Max, I know that you're probably very scared right now." His father said calmingly.   
  
"Not exactly scared. Not scared of leaving," He corrected.   
  
"Scared of not coming back." The father finished. "You've never had to engage in battle off planet, it's a scary thing if you've never done it, but that shouldn't be something you have to worry about."   
  
"Why not?"   
  
"You're dropping with the best son." He said with a smile. "You'll always have someone watching your back."   
  
"Dad, I..." Max tried.   
  
"I know I haven't been there for you Max, not like I should've been when you were younger. And I'm sorry that things didn't work out between me and your mother, but I want you to know, that no matter what happens, I love you, and I'm extremely proud of you."   
  
Max let the words hang a moment. "I know dad. You know I feel the same way."   
  
"Yeah, I know." Brutto sighed. "Look, I've got a lot of work to do, keep in touch and take care of yourself."   
  
"You know I will. Good bye dad." Max said and cut the link. He took the headset off and stood. He wiped the moistness from his face and made his way back to Zim. On his way out he bumped into Gossard who was in a rush. They looked at each other for a second.   
  
"Better hurry up man, we don't have much time left." Max said stepping out of his way and letting him get to the terminal he'd just used. He turned back, his face against the sun and made his way for the pad.   
  


*****

  
"Come on, come on." Gossard said, tapping his foot against the ground. Finally Jess's face appeared on the screen.   
  
"JEFF!" She yelled, sending an excruciating pain through his ears.   
  
"Yeah, its me, I might need a hearing aide now though." He smiled warmly at her. "How are you?"   
  
"Oh, I am great!" She said with a huge smile. Her black hair was flowing in the wind; Gossard could tell that she was out at sea. "Trying to make a big catch for a party Sam is having tomorrow." Gossard bit down on his tongue on the mention of that name. Sam had been Jessie's previous boyfriend before Gossard had gotten out of the service and bought the boat in Tijuana where he had made his living before all of this. Sam had beat Jessie before, and Jeff had promised him of certain unpleasant things that would happen if he ever laid another hand near her.   
  
"I know you don't like him," she covered quickly. "But it's a harmless party, for his brother's birthday."   
  
"Well, I know you'll be careful." He said soothing her nerves slightly.   
  
"Of course I will." She smiled and let the silence linger before coughing slightly. "So, when are you going to come back?" The excitement had now been replaced with worry.   
  
"You know I don't know that." He said pitifully. "I wish it was right away."   
  
"Well just you remember, you promised me you'd come back. You have a wedding to help me plan!" She said holding her left hand up to the screen.   
  
"I know, I know." He said, again, an awkward silence took the conversation by force.   
  
"I don't know what's going on Jeff," The worry was now making her voice shake. "And I'm scared. Just please come back to me."   
  
"I promise I will Jessie." He said. She kissed her fingers and pressed them to her side of the camera while Jeff mimicked the gesture. "I love you."   
  
"I love you too." She said her voice quaking from the fear and sadness that had overtaken her.   
  
"I have to go, I'll come back, I promise." He cut the screen and sat there for a few moments, looking at the SICON insignia. He threw the headset down and ran his hands through his hair and stood.   
  
"Excuse me sir," A familiar voice said from behind. "I know its not my place to say anything in your affairs, and I didn't mean to hear you, but I don't believe that's a promise you can truthfully make."   
  
Gossard turned to see Higgins looking at him, a grave look on his face. Gossard smiled and grabbed him and gave him a quick hug.   
  
"It's good to see you Higgins." He said releasing him. "Here to make a report?"   
  
"Where is everyone else?" He asked looking around.   
  
"At the pad, waiting to leave." He said directing him towards the pad. They exited the tent together and made their way in between the multiple troopers milling around. "Are you going to answer me?"   
  
They reached the others who were all happy to see the Paper Boy present. "I was assigned to the Wolves." He finally let out.   
  
"The Wolves,"; "That bunch of pups?"; "Too many greenies!"; "I doubt they know what a bug still looks like." Came the multiple responses all at once.   
  
"Yeah, I know, but FEDNET wanted me placed with a different squad this time, they felt the Roughnecks would be old news." He said. He pointed out his squad which was waiting a dozen yards away.   
  
"That's what you get with non-coms, what do you expect?" Zim said. "Why put good squads back together when you can just mess things up worse than they already are?"   
  
"Because then that prove that we're wrong; INTEL isn't run by the monkey's!" Doc said.   
  
A loud horn split the air followed by a voice: "Departure for the _Jean Razak_ in two minutes at pad 2. Repeat, departure for _Jean Razak_ in two minutes at pad 2." The speaker cut and they all turned to look at the transport. The mechanics were putting the casings back on and making final checks on it.   
  
"Why do I have such a bad feeling?" Gossard asked rhetorically.   
  
"It could be worse." Doc said.   
  
"Oh yeah?"   
  
"Yeah, you could have to sit next to the serge's old man; instead you've got the clone."   
  
"Hey!" Max yelled. "My dad could still kick all of your tails!"   
  
"Zip it up troopers!" Zim ordered. They all looked at him, then at Higgins who wavered after a second.   
  
"I have to join my squad; I'll see you on the ship guys." He said breaking away and rushing for the Wolves. Lieutenant Breckenridge gave him a quick slap across the back of his head ordered him into formation.   
  
Zim and the others grabbed their gear and slung it over their shoulders.   
  
"Hear we go gentlemen. Time to travel back into the valley." He said. They all took one last look around the camp. "Every body ready?"   
  
"Roger!" Goss said.   
  
"Ready and somewhat willing." Doc chuckled.   
  
"Not like I have a choice." Max said gripping his bag tighter.   
  
Zim looked over them and grinned. "Good to be back with you guys." He did a quick about-face to put the transport directly ahead of him. "Roughnecks!"   
  
"HO!" Came the unanimous call.   
  
"Roughnecks: embark!" Zim sounded. The four marched solidly to the transport and climbed in, followed by the Wolves. The doors shut and it took to the sky.   
  
  
LOVEL A-19   
  
[Hear my call,] she said in her mind. [My general's, hear my call.] She quickly repeated. She was answered with hundreds of courteous returns.   
  
She looked out her mind's eye into the asteroid field beyond. He transports were busy moving about, deploying troops to certain rocks, others loading to depart to the Terran systems. The darkness of her hatchery did not distract her in the slightest from seeing all that was within her reach. She could see her transports moving through the star, getting ever closer to their eventual targets.   
  
[Now is the time in which we must be solid.] She let the words hang for a moment. [We are about to launch an attack against an enemy that is strong and resilient, but he has made a mistake. He let his victory against my mother make him lazy, and thus, he is vulnerable. As we speak, he has already begun to try to initiate counter measures to combat us.   
  
[We must be quick in our attack, efficient. Our armies are not what they were, but we still outnumber them drastically. We have only a short amount of time and must crush them with one decisive blow. After taking their outlying bases, we will hit their hearts.] She let her mind wander momentarily as she felt a ping of a psychic call, warning her. It let her know that her time is drawing close; that she will not prevail.   
  
She shook her head and laughed. She turned her thoughts back to her generals. [Our enemy is already trying to defeat us. He should arrive within a days, and then, we shall have their greatest weapon against us.]   
  
[Is he coming _en masse_?] Several asked at once, concerned for her well being, or maybe just their own.   
  
[I am unsure, but if he is, none will survive save him. If not, he has made a foolish choice.] She turned and saw him coming ever closer. _Closer fool, closer_. She thought.   
  
[You all have your orders.] She finished and cut her links. She turned her thoughts in on herself and let her body loose, releasing eggs quickly. Her queen spawn on other rocks would be picking up the pace and laying more and more for her war machine. She smiled to herself; things were going exactly her way.   
  
  
EARTH ORBIT   
  
The transport slowed to a complete stop in the massive hangar of the Jean Razak then finally settled to the ground. Deck crews rushed up to it to secure and begin their routine checklists over the systems. When the doors parted Gossard was the first out; stumbling and running for safety.   
  
"It's gonna blow!" He yelled jumping behind several fuel containers. Crews began to look around worriedly then went back to their duties when Zim, Doc and Max all exited calmly.   
  
"Hey look where you're at Goss!" Doc yelled laughing. The three stepped out of the way as the Wolves exited. Lieutenant Breckenridge looked at Zim.   
  
"Charlie Zim," he said gruffly. He was about as tall as Zim, and as large. The two shook hands after a moment. "I never thought I'd see you going back into combat."   
  
"Me? Ha!" Zim retorted. "What about this batch of greenies you've got here?"   
  
Breckenridge looked over his troopers. "The best you can get these days. Hand picked them myself when I was reactivated last week. One of the benefits of being a war hero I suppose."   
  
"One of the many." Zim said.   
  
"You hooking up with Rico, or is this your squad now?" He asked. Max and Doc were laughing hysterically helping Gossard up from behind his spur-of-the-moment shelter.   
  
"Still not what I want." Zim said simply. "Jonnie's the leader, not me."   
  
"That's what I always figured." Breckenridge patted Zim on the shoulder. "See you around, work to do with the squad. Training."   
  
"Fun." Zim remarked. The two split to their own directions. Zim joined the other three who were laughing about the incident.   
  
"I swear; I haven't seen you move like that since Tophet!" Doc laughed.   
  
Gossard rubbed his neck shyly. "I wouldn't expect to see it too much."   
  
"I would." A voice came from behind. They all turned around and saw Admiral Carmen Ibanez.   
  
"Atten-TION!" Zim barked, bringing all the officers near them to a stand still until the realized that it was the Admiral. They went about their business while the Roughnecks remained in place. Carmen giggled slightly.   
  
"At ease Lieutenant." She said stepping before Zim directly. "We're on a low with formalities on board this ship."   
  
"I see," Zim eased up, as did the others.   
  
She smiled. "Its good to see you guys."   
  
Zim returned the gesture. "I have to get our gear unloaded ma'am."   
  
"I understand." She stepped out of his way and let him back to the transport. Doc and Goss approached her with enthusiasm while Max just sort of pushed his way through them.   
  
"Admiral Ibanez," Doc said. She quickly embraced each of them.   
  
"Back to carrying our sorry tails around huh?" Gossard asked.   
  
"I suppose, but this time I think I have a bigger ship." She waved her hand across the entire hanger.   
  
"It would look that way, wouldn't it?" Gossard answered.   
  
"You guys have a lot of work ahead of you." She said. "You'd best get started. We're setting out in two hours. Make sure you're ready."   
  
They both saluted. "Yes ma'am." Carmen turned and left the hangar to return to her job.   
  
"She's still got that figure." Doc said following her with his eyes.   
  
"Gossard, assist Brutto with the gear!" Zim barked.   
  
"No problem." He said sarcastically. "Can't the big bad sergeant handle it himself?"   
  
The three were startled by the sound of Max yelling followed by what sounded like flesh against flesh. They turned to see some mechanic sprawled on his back. Several were quickly coming to their friend's aide. Zim cast a sideward glance at Gossard.   
  
"Oh come on, he can finish his own problems!" He yelled moving into position to come to Max's defense.   
  
Zim turned back to Doc, and smiling left the hangar, just as Doc was forced to jump in to get Max out. While he'd enjoyed his life after the war, it felt good to be amongst friends again, even if he hadn't been with them that long during the war.   
  
The ship set out on schedule, never receiving the publicity he deserved many felt. He left Earth's gravitational field on schedule and enter star drive shortly after. At maximum speed it would take three days to arrive at Tophet. Too little, too late.   
  
  
  
  
  
"... [they] obeyed the great field marshal. Rank and file   
streamed behind and rushed like swarms of bees  
pouring out of a rocky hollow, burst on endless burst,   
bunched in clusters seething over the first spring blooms,   
dark hordes swirling into the air, this way, that way—  
so the many armed platoons from the ships and tents  
came marching on, close file, along the deep wide beach  
to crowd the meeting grounds, and Rumor, Zeus's crier,   
like wildfire blazing among them, whipped them on. 110  
The troops assembled."   
  
  
_The Iliad_ - Book Two: The Great Gathering of Armies; Homer 


	6. Episode 6: Prepare for the Worst

"The Reuninon"  
Episode 206 – Prepare for the Worst  
D-Minus 1 Day  
  
"The bodies. I still remember the bodies. I watched them falling as the bugs attacked. They dropped, in droves, dozens at a time. Explosion after blue explosion ripped through the sky, then the screen went to static. We all remember it. The day, the hour, the realization of our greatest fear; the bugs had returned.   
  
"The day before their attack was the most frightening day in my memory. I had stared bugs down on countless worlds, seen them eye to eye so to speak, and when I watched the vids, all of that seemed pale in comparison. The reports that were being broadcast, the vids of ships being blown apart as the transports moved through to their objectives. The question on every person's mind was 'how could we let this happen?'   
  
"We know now how we let it happen. The civilians had wrestled with SICON long enough, and the effects on many from the war had scarred us. We thought we were on top. We were wrong."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_  
  
  
LOVELL A-168  
  
Carl pulled back on the throttle and looked down from the cockpit at the monstrous asteroid ahead of him. Its cratered surface glistened in the light of the dying star. The black shadows went on for miles from the huge mountains that ran like veins across its face. He could feel her below it, hiding, waiting for him. She knew he was coming and she knew he was there. She knew what he knew, and he knew what she knew. It was their game; they'd been playing it in silence for days.   
  
Now he was ready to make the game something more. He took a deep breath and pushed the throttle forward and prayed.   
LOVELL A-19  
  
The egg squeezed itself out and fell softly down the tunnel that had been made for them. The queen looked at her general who was now at her side. He had been waiting on her to speak. She'd left him there for an hour, waiting. She'd been watching Carl for the entire time, waiting for him to make his move. She turned to her General.   
  
[The time has come.] She said with solemnity touching the voice of her thoughts. She looked forward again and watched in her mind's eye, Carl's ship coming closer. [I want him alive, at all costs.]   
  
The general nodded. [Has he brought others?]   
  
[No, he wants just me. But I will not take the chance. I am in no condition to have a one on one fight with him; my mind is strained in to many directions for right now.] She let out a sigh as another egg fell. [Had he waited another few months, he would not have stood a chance.] She turned back to her general. [You have your orders.]   
TOPHET ORBIT  
  
The _Jean Razak_ slowed to a stationary orbit. His breaking thrusters fired repeatedly until he was in synchronous motion with the city on the planet's surface. Admiral Ibanez watched on the displays as her ensign slowed the ship with impeccable grace and skill. It reminded her of herself in the days past. The lights were dimmed on the bridge to allow for maximum visibility of the new touch-screen control panels, the glare tended to be a bit overwhelming. She stepped up from her chair which sat above the other stations much like on the older ships. The only difference between the _Jean Razak_ and his brothers was that the helm sat in a pit with a one eighty degree view and screens flipped around their heads to allow for a lateral, vertical and reverse view.   
  
"Lights up." She said as the braking thrusters quit. The bridge was again filled with light and the crew all squinted their eyes in adjustment. She walked down to the edge of the pit and looked down at the ensign as she slid the screens from in front of her face. "Good job."   
  
"Thank you sir," She said uneasily. "I feel I was too hard on the thrusters."   
  
"Perhaps, but you'll get used to him," she smiled and stood. "You're piloting the most advanced ship in the navy; he requires new reflexes you haven't grown yet. Don't worry."   
  
The ensign climbed out of the pit and stretched as her relief came in. Carmen had delayed the shift change by two hours to allow for the current shift to be able to utilize the most amount of time, and a shift change with a fresh crew going into a synchronous orbit was always a little too nerve-racking for her to enjoy. She felt that it took the crew for the time being, a full two hours to get warmed up to the _Razak_; down from the four on his initial shakedown cruise she was told.   
  
Her standard issue boots clicked against the black metal floor as she went from station to station checking the ships systems. He was impeccable, no problems whatsoever. He'd been built with incredible attention to detail and he seemed almost a work of art, rather than a ship of war. But the _Razak_ was definitely the later. He had eighteen missile launchers, and fully loaded carried an armament of three hundred missiles with forty-eight laser batteries that blemished the hull. She went to the communications station and read the dispatches coming in from around the sector.   
  
The fleet was in the process of full mobilization, but with close to half of it scattered across countless sectors, it would be hard to get everyone of them to the rendezvous points in the amount of time Redwing was asking for. They needed weeks, and they had hours and days.   
  
Carmen stepped onto the observation platform looking out into space. She frowned and looked down on the planet. Tophet had come so far since the war and now, she was threatened again, and she couldn't defend herself from a full scale attack.   
  


*****

  
  
Zim had sat alone in the mess hall for close to three hours before he was disturbed. He'd been reviewing the past week in his mind. It was all he could do to not shoot someone out of pure anger from SICON's blindness towards the situation.   
  
For three years after the war, Miriam and Sanchez had fought to keep the MI at full readiness, and when the battles between the resurgent bug factions and the MI caused them to hold off on cutting numbers, but after three months of fighting and the destruction of most of the hordes, SICON decided to go ahead with its plans to cut costs based on the civilian voice.   
  
When the reports started to show increased bug activity the weeks before, Miriam had been able to start the remobilization of the forces quietly, but after the attacks on Eden, Klendathu and several other colonies, the mobilization couldn't be kept quiet. The excuse of probable emergency action was enough to keep many civilian leaders from running their mouths.   
  
Now the _Jean Razak_ was in orbit around Tophet, and Zim was staring at the man who had just interrupted his thoughts. Doc looked down on Zim with a smile.   
  
"Dining on ashes?" He said pulling a chair out and sitting next to him. Both looked out the planet. They could see dust storms racing across its surface, clouds too, and lights from small cities on the terminator.   
  
"Dining on thoughts." Zim replied it after a minute. He put his now cold coffee to his mouth and swallowed the last of it.   
  
"Never thought we'd be back doing this…" Doc said looking down on Tophet. The _Razak_ was crossing the terminator into night now. The lights began to blink on across the outside of the ship and in the mess hall, they increased slightly. Both squinted for a moment.   
  
"A blessing or a curse?" Zim asked about the lights.   
  
"A curse, the seconds it takes your eyes to adjust, could be extremely valuable in a fight."   
  
"I don't think they truly expected the ship to go into battle, not yet, and not like this." Zim stood and left his coffee cup on the small window into the kitchen. He turned and leaned against the wall. "Why are we in synchronous orbit? My wife is the Sky Marshal, and I have no idea what is going on."   
  
Doc laughed. "Who knows, Carmen won't tell any of us anything. But we're orbiting about three thousand kilometers south of the station where the _Threshold_ is docked, if that says anything."   
  
Zim walked to the window and stood silent for a few moments. Doc stretched out and yawned.   
  
"We're too old for this." Zim sighed, breaking the silence.   
  
Doc joined Zim at the window and the two stared down at the planet.   
  


*****

  
  
Jonnie looked up into the purple night. The glass dome over the base allowed for humans to walk about without suits. He stood silent, his hands clasped behind his back and his feet spread. He just stared. The constellations were all different, but beautiful nonetheless. He'd seen stars from hundreds of different perspectives and distances, and they still brought out some of the most beautiful images.   
  
Two young privates assigned to Tophet walked by him and saluted then returned to holding each other's hands. He smiled and returned to the stars. Several could be seen moving about and he knew that transports were shuttling troops and crews back and forth from the ships, readying for a war no one wanted to believe in.   
  
Long ago, he'd accepted his fate as a warrior. One who would never be able to fully reap the rewards of his deeds, and in the end, he had decided that it suited him just fine. He was placid away from everyone and everything that reminded him of his past. His problems were his own and he preferred them to stay that way.   
  
He flinched slightly from nerve impulses and decided that it was time to retire, the time for war was upon them. He returned to the bungalow he'd provided as his personal quarters while he stayed on Tophet and readied for sleep. He changed into a pair of shorts and a single white shirt and fell back onto the cozy single cot. His eyes closed in from the gathering fatigue and he slept in a dreamless blackness that he had come to call home.   
NEAR EDEN  
  
Captain Joe Bond of the starship _Bull Run_ sat lazily watching the screens in front of him. The ship was running on minimal power with minimal crew while they traveled to Eden to resupply the SICON bases. He hated his job. He hated having to just sit on tons and tons of a war machine while there were bugs and probably worse out there waiting for them. He yawned and stretched out.   
  
After the first impact against the hull, Captain Bond was no longer able to worry about his ship or crew. The initial shots from the transports sneaking up in the sensor shadow of the _Bull Run_ took out the bridge and engines. Leaving the ship a sitting duck to be plucked away. Slowly, almost joyfully, the three transports fired at the ship, tearing it apart peace by peace until nothing was left. They continued on their way, only hours from their objective, and nothing would stop them.   
THRESHOLD  
  
Sirens shouted out across the decks of the ship, and the red of rotating lights filled the halls. The lights dimmed as if for battle, but no one moved a muscle. The ship could have been falling from the sky into the atmosphere bellow, and yet no one cared. They couldn't move. They were all fixed on the VID.   
  
"These images were the last emergency broadcast from the starship _Bull Run_ little over three hours ago." Every crewman watched the ship was slowly picked apart by the transports. Many were filled with anger, other's sadness. Many cried out in frustration while many cried tears of sadness and horror, men and women both.   
  
Captain O'Hare was sitting in his quarters reviewing the data when his comm. beeped a single tone, alerting him to an incoming call. He pressed a button and the channel opened. He didn't look at it as he was busy going over what he could, he knew his ship would be ordered out soon, fully repaired or not.   
  
He'd been awoken by the sirens just minutes before, indicating an emergency, and when he'd checked with his XO, he was shocked to find him in quiet tears. His only words were: "Check FEDNET." Now he was trying to figure out what it would take to get them to Eden as quickly as possible and the new interruption was only going to slow him down.   
  
"I'm extremely busy, can't this wait." He barked not looking up from his desk.   
  
"No." Was the harsh feminine reply.   
  
He looked up into the stern glare of Sky Marshal Redwing-Zim. "Sir!" He said standing, all dignity for his current attire gone.   
  
"Stand down Captain." She ordered. "And sit down." Michael did as he was ordered.   
  
"Of what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.   
  
"New order's for you." She said. "I've already informed Admiral Ibanez of them. You are ordered to Eden Captain. You and the _Jean Razak_ will rendezvous with the _Ticonderoga_ and the _Harry Lee_ where you will assist in the defense of the planet."   
  
"The bugs have attacked the planet already?" A cold sweat began to bead on his brow.   
  
"No, but they are only four hours away as it now stands. Two additional ships have already been destroyed in attempts to stop them, but it seems that their will is stronger than ours Captain." She let her words hang in the air a moment. "You have your orders Captain, SICON out."   
  
Michael sat back for a moment then activated his comm. again. His XO appeared on the screen. "Yes, sir?" He said.   
  
"Suck it up soldier. Prepare the ship to leave. Recall all personnel, and patch me into Admiral Ibanez."   
  
"Aye," He said. Michael patiently waited while time passed after he was placed on hold.   
  


*****

  
  
Kepler looked down at the table as Murphy punched his locker. The two had just seen the VIDs of the attack. Muniz sat back in a small chair, lazily looking upward, his eyes wide with fear and anticipation.   
  
Murphy's short brown hair was matted to his forehead from the quick sweat he'd accumulated since hearing the news. His hands were bloody from hitting things and his voice hoarse from yelling and screaming in anger. His life had been ruined by the bugs, and here they were, back to ruin his life even more, and the lives of others.   
  
He'd been ten during the first war. Up until the attack on Earth, he didn't pay much attention to the war, why should he have? Then the attacks came. He was living in Washington DC when the attacks leveled most of the city and turned it into a battleground. His mother was killed by a falling wall which caused his father to fall into a deep depression that eventually claimed his life through suicide. Ronald Murphy was then shuttled between his two grandparents before he finally ran away when he was twelve. He ran from city to city, doing what he could, learning how to fight.   
  
When his eighteenth birthday finally came, he got the chance he'd been looking for. He joined the MI and for the past two years, has been part of the Roughnecks, moving from sector to sector exterminating the bugs. But now, he was going to be forced to participate in what he'd witnessed years ago, what he thought had been over.   
  
"When are we moving out?" Muniz asked sitting up. "You know they'll throw us on the front lines, we've got the most action."   
  
"Probably within the week." Kepler said timidly. "I'm tired of fighting."   
  
"Don't let the old man hear you say that." Muniz said from his chair. "You know what his response is."   
  
"I wasn't cut out for this." He said turning the vid off.   
  
"Then why are you here?" Murphy asked.   
  
"My father was in the war," Kepler said after waiting a moment. "He lost both his legs and was decorated twice for heroism on Hydora and three times on Kyrsh, where he lost his legs. I grew up always hearing about how all the bugs had to die, how they were the only true evil that had ever existed. How, if nothing else, it was the only thing that our family would see through to its end." He looked up at Murphy. "I guess I just felt I had to carry on the tradition, make my father proud. I honestly never thought that I'd actually be abroad."   
  
Muniz sat up with a grin. "Well you all know my story,"   
  
"Shut up." Murphy said turning to the window facing down onto the orange and brown surface of Tophet. They were still on the dark side of the planet docked in the Tophetti dry dock. He looked south and thought he saw a faint glimmer of a ship but it was too dark to really tell.   
  
"We're moving out." Came L'Ioo's voice from the open door. She took a few steps in and the metal doors slid shut with the soft his of pressurized air.   
  
"What?" Kepler said standing up. Muniz got out of his chair and joined Kepler as he went to the pad L'Ioo was holding. Murphy turned to face her from the window.   
  
"There's a ship south of us." He said.   
  
"Yes." L'Ioo replied. "The _Jean Razak_-"   
  
"Whoa, wait a second," Muniz interrupted. "The _Jean Razak_ is here?"   
  
"It would appear so." L'Ioo smiled. "We received orders about five minutes ago from the Major." L'Ioo held up the pad.   
  
Muniz snatched it from her hand. He read it over a few times before handing it to Kepler. "I don't believe it." He said handing it off. Kepler smiled as he read through it then handed it to Murphy who quickly read it.   
  
"All of them?" He asked.   
  
  
TOPHET  
  
"I never really believed the time would come when I'd have to look the enemy in the eye again and truly fear." Were Rico's words as he watched the twin suns appeared over the horizon of twisted rocks. He'd went out into the wilderness with T'Phai after seeing the vids of the bug transports. Now the two waited to watch the dual stars appear over the mountains before they were thrust into war once again.   
  
"Perhaps it is not the time to be worrying about fear." T'Phai said standing tall as Rico sat on the ledge. "Have you not been fighting the bugs for the past six years on the raids?"   
  
"I don't even know anymore, time as blurred together into one never ending battle." Rico let out a long sigh and watched as the moisture condensed then evaporated on his helmet. "I'm cold."   
  
"Your environmental controls are damaged perhaps?" T'Phai offered his hand to help Rico up, but he waved it off.   
  
"I mean emotionally. Everything feels cold. Has for a long time." He stood up and turned to face T'Phai. "I received my orders this morning. The _Threshold_ is moving out with the _Jean Razak_ for Eden."   
  
"What after that?" T'Phai asked as Rico began to move away.   
  
Rico stopped and turned back to him and said: "Smash and destroy. This is hopefully the only force."   
  
"And if its not?"   
  
Rico shrugged. "Then its not. There's little we can do to stop a full blown invasion. And from what Carl said, that's what this is."   
  
Rico began to walk off again, but the next words that came from T'Phai's mouth sent a chill down his spine. "What of Dizzy?"   
  
"What about her? I haven't talked to her." Rico said continuing. T'Phai jogged quickly to catch up as Jonnie started down the mountain.   
  
"Will she be recalled?"   
  
"No," Jonnie said stopping. "After the baby's death, Dizzy had to spend time in a hospital. And since I couldn't make it back to her, something changed inside her, she was catatonic for three months. That's a big black mark to have on your record." Jonnie continued on the trail, the base was a short distance away.   
  
"Your child weighs heavily on your mind still?"   
  
"Not a day goes by that it doesn't. Sometimes I wonder if I had been there if anything would have been different. But the war-"   
  
"The war is not to blame unfortunately. Granted, because of the war, many lives were affected, but it was long over when your child died."   
  
"But it wasn't, because I was still out there mowing them down." Rico said hitting his fist into the rock.   
  
"It was. Lives had already been drastically altered by the war. You were happy after the war; things were going your way. You must learn to let go of the past and realize that life is dangerous and that people will die in it regardless of war or anything as catastrophic. Your child's death was not a result of the war." T'Phai and Rico stepped over two large rocks blocking the path, the base was few hundred yards away.   
  
"You have children T'Phai, you know what its like to-" Again, T'Phai interrupted Rico.   
  
"I have not lost my children, I have lost my wife. You have lost both, one more so than the other. You must decide which is the one that is further from reach. And only then will your coldness leave you." The two reached the base. Rico's gear was already in a transport, and it was waiting for him on the tarmac.   
  
Rico stared T'Phai in his eyes for a moment then smiled. "I wish you could come with us, I could use a conscience on this one."   
  
"As do I. But the situation here on Tophet is worse than on Earth, but I give you my promise that I will join you in battle." T'Phai stretched his arm out, offering his hand to his companion, his friend. Rico smiled again, took the hand and shook it firmly.   
  
The two parted ways and Rico boarded the transport which quickly took to the sky. T'Phai waited and watched until it disappeared then left to begin the preparations for the Tophetti forces to join their Human brethren in battle.   
  
LOVELL  
  
Carl stepped down onto the soft gray dust of Lovell A-19, the second largest asteroid in the field. He could feel the gravitational change from the shuttle, to the asteroid and was overcome with sudden nausea. It had been too long since he'd had to work in gravity less than a G. He stopped and caught himself before he fell over and let the queasiness pass.   
  
He stood back up and checked his surroundings. The rock was mostly flat, with the horizon little more than a mile away according to his scans. He reassured his grip on his Morita and moved slowly.   
  
His internal sensors popped up in front of his left eye. It displayed his blood pressure, his heart rate and various other statistics. His heart rate and adrenaline levels were climbing.   
  
He sent himself through a mental exercise to calm himself. The presence of evil was all around him, he could feel its power coursing through his veins. He stepped lightly around the surface, looking for the fissure he had identified before he landed.   
  
Carl had set down about two hundred meters away from the fissure and moved from there. He wished he could hear. The vacuum of space took that one sense from him, but his seismic monitors should be sufficient.   
  
The lip of the fissure was close now, he was sure it would only take him a few moments to reach the catacombs and from there the radar on his back would help him get to the queen. He had to finish her and her spawn off; he had to stop the cycle of death.   
  
He was about to enter the fissure when his seismic meter began to vibrate on his back. He pulled it out and could see dozens of dots swarming around indicating movement in his direction.   
  
Behind him, several warriors erupted from the ground and with a single thought, they crumpled to the ground, after moments Carl was surrounded by dozens of warriors. He opened up with his Morita and dropped several quickly, but he soon began to grow tired. He knew that he was beat and could do little else, and that staying would only get him killed, and then he could help no one.   
  
A psionic wave was sent out in front of him at destroyed the small minds of the killers, making an escape hole. He ignited his jet pack and flew as fast as he could, stopping the thrust right as he reached the shuttle and slammed into the hull. He slumped to the hard gray floor with a hard impact.   
  
Carl's head was swimming as he tried to make his way into the rear hatch. Warriors were quickly slamming their thick skulls against the bulkheads trying to get in. Carl fell from the hatch onto the floor and breathed a sigh of relief as the chamber was pressurized. He released his helmet and crawled to the cockpit. Warriors were crawling all over the ship, tearing the hull, ripping pieces off with their powerful jaws and sending them flying into space with the weak gravity.   
  
His hand slammed on the ignition button and the ship tore from the asteroid. Warriors rained down as he shot away and fell back to the gray rock below. But they'd accomplished their task. The engines quickly cut out and Carl was forced to try and pilot the ship as it coasted through the asteroids. Several blue streaks began to arch their way across his field of view, only adding to his already stressful time.   
  
He made his way towards an asteroid on the outer edge of the field. He nosed the shuttle down and drove it into the ground of the rock. He was thrown from side to side as the ship rolled to a stop. The groaning and tearing metal split his head, and only made the already present pain worse.   
  
As the ship came to a stop, Carl pulled himself up and looked out the view port. In the failing light, the cockpit was illuminated blue from the burning plasma still trying to find him. He smiled,   
  
"I'll see you again." He said then slumped over onto the floor unconscious.   
JEAN RAZAK  
  
Rico sat in his office on the _Jean Razak_ and watched Carmen's face as she spoke. He remembered how she had made him feel, and smiled as they all came back in a nostalgic moment. But his thoughts were more forced on the current situation, he words now.   
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, fellow troopers of the Threshold, we are currently underway to Eden, into the face of battle once again." She let the words hang a moment. "I know I don't need to emphasize what this means in the long run. People will die. There is no denying it. You may watch the trooper next to you buy the farm."   
  
She let out a sigh. "We will intercept the _Ticonderoga_ and the _Harry Lee_ tomorrow and then set course for Eden, giving us three days to prepare for battle. Our orders are to extract any and all survivors that we find on the planet and retreat to a predetermined, undisclosed at this time, position. You all have your orders, and you know how to do your jobs.   
  
"At this time I am ordering for all personnel to man their battle stations. We don't know what's waiting for us, but I am sure you will all do your jobs the way you've been trained to do, and we will stop this invasion before it gets started." Rico could imagine the troopers in the mess hall cheering with that comment. "Admiral Ibanez out." He face was replaced by the SICON insignia which Rico quickly cut off.   
  
The time had arrived again. He had kept a lot of feeling bottled up inside of himself, and now with this, he had hopes of getting that aggression out of his system. He exited into the Roughnecks bunk area and found Goss tinkering with some gadget.   
  
"What's that?" He asked sitting next to him.   
  
"You know, I don't know." He said holding it in front of him. "I have absolutely idea what it does." He threw it behind him. It clanked around before resting against a bunk's leg.   
  
"Something to pass the time." Rico said patting him on the shoulder.   
  
"So here we go again, huh?" Goss asked.   
  
"Again."   
  
  
  
"Blood of the Lamb shall wash him clean  
And him shall heavenly arms enfold,  
Among the saints he shall be seen  
Performing on a harp of gold."  
  
_The Hippopotamus_; T.S. Eliot   
  



	7. Episode 7: Yesterday Returns

"The Eden Campaign"  
Episode 207 – Yesterday Returns  
D-Day  
  
"A warrior bug doesn't think. It kills. A Warrior human thinks and kills. Which is the more deadly, that which does not truly know that it is killing, or that which kills knowingly? I've seen the fear and desperation in the eyes of a trooper being faced with a dozen bugs. I've also seen the joy in those same eyes as he killed those bugs. It's a strange thought really, because the bugs show no emotion either way, they don't know any better. We know what we're doing; I think that's what makes us the more dangerous. Every human thinks for itself, and that terrified the queen to her very soul, if she even had one..."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_  
  
  
EDEN  
  
The first transport crashed into Lake Harper twenty miles south west of the Capital. The second, into the mountains to the north, while the third and fourth ones into the fields to the east and west respectively. The farmers and civilians had evacuated into the city hours before the first transport slammed into the water.   
  
The MI had quickly drawn out a perimeter defense of the city, but with only four squads, the lines were thin. Marauders were at the ready, six in all, each guarding up to three miles each, while four to five troopers took on key intersection points, the areas where the bugs would have maximum use of their numbers.   
  
LT. Jacques Ryan of Ryan's Rangers stood on the southern plateau of the city looking down upon the rolling grasslands where the bugs would definitely come from. The initial satellite scans showed more than fifty thousand bugs surrounding their transports. He flipped his visor down and began doing a long range scan. The bugs were beginning a slow march forward, they were unsure of what to expect is what it appeared to be. He watched as droves moved across the fields, trampling the soft grass beneath their harsh claws.   
  
He watched in horror as tankers came from behind the haze that filled the noon sky. Dozens of tankers, followed by several plasma bugs lumbered slowly forward towards his line. He realized quickly that that was the reason for the slow movement. They were attacking at once, no forward assault troops. Maybe that would give Ryan his advantage. Anything to hold them back was an advantage, even if it only worked for a short time.   
  
A young private rushed up beside him. "We've got the governor on the horn sir, he wants a word."   
  
Ryan returned his visor back to the top of his helmet. "What could the prick want now?"   
  
The trip to the trench where his squad was awaiting the battle was quick. He found a portable com unit waiting for him with William's face on the screen. He looked nervous, not that he blamed him, they all were. But Williams had a bad habit of trying to be a general, when he didn't know squat about tactics. Ryan sat and lowered his face to the small camera at the top of the screen.   
  
"What Governor?" Ryan asked, his voice filled with venom. "I'm extremely busy here."   
  
"I understand that Lieutenant, that's why I'm sending you some reinforcements." Williams said; his face seemed to perk up with a forced smile that only accented his nervousness.   
  
"What?" Ryan asked angrily. Williams could not be doing what he thought he was doing.   
  
"This is a colony of veterans Lieutenant. I have about forty headed to you, along with the others, forty to each of them."   
  
Ryan bit his lip. "You have got to be kidding me."   
  
"No Lieutenant, I suggest you use them, we don't know when the fleet will arrive here with further reinforcements and supplies. Williams out."   
  
Ryan slammed the face of the com down. Williams was going to get to many people killed. The best tactic would be to recall all troops within the barrier that was still functional from the war.   
  
All the citizens soon arrived and Ryan spread them out along the trench with Moritas and some extra ammo. They would hold out as long as they could, even though it was certain suicide. The line would be held, because there was no surrender, bugs didn't take prisoners. If they were overrun, they would all die.   
  
The faint bulbous glowing form of a plasma bug began to emerge from the haze, showing that they were still a good sixteen miles away. Others soon followed; all preceded by the faint dancing lines of the Warriors clearing their way. He grabbed a private.   
  
"Private, I want a range and an estimate on enemy strength and area covered." The private nodded. At the rate they were moving, Ryan gave them three hours. The speed was a complete mind job, but he wasn't going to question it, it could provide him with a tactical advantage, and any would suffice.   
  
The private returned. "Approximately ten thousand warriors, two hundred tankers and three dozen plasmas spread out over a ten kil0ometer radius moving at only three kilometers an hour, sir."   
  
"Thank you private," Ryan patted him on the shoulder. "That'll be all. Man your post." All they had to do now was wait. Hopefully the Lindsey was having better luck.   
  


*****

  
  
Lieutenant Lindsey looked over the battlefield that would soon be covered with the carcasses of dead warrior bugs. They were coming into view now, and were slowly moving east, towards her. They'd have to maneuver through the canyon before they could spill out onto the grass that was the only thing for three kilometers before the outskirts of the city. Things were going to get ugly quick.   
  
The citizens had arrived along with three marauders to try and hold the line until God knew when. Ryan had been right, they needed to be inside the old perimeter from the war, it had worked then and would hopefully be of some use now. It hadn't been activated in over seven years from what she understood, but it was hope.   
  
Another truck pulled up behind the line and some men unloaded boxes of ammo. They gave the thumbs up to the forty or so troops. All cheered and waved the rifles in the air. At least morale was high. Lindsey turned back to the bugs and just waited. Her sergeant joined her in her gazing.   
  
"Not long," he said. "Maybe two hours."   
  
"Why doesn't Williams use the damn planes?" She asked quietly.   
  
"Probably feels the risk is too great, they'll be needed for the city once we fall back."   
  
She looked up at him. "You're pretty sure we'll be pushed back?"   
  
He gave her a cross look. "You think otherwise?"   
  
Lindsey tongued her cheek for a second. "It's possible."   
  
"Hope never fails," He said with a smile. "Does it?"   
  
"No, not after all I've seen" She said. She had watched her squad be decimated during the war and only her survive through a sheer miracle. The rocks on Klendathu had collapsed around her, crushing her leg and burying her. She had watched through the cracks as hundreds of bugs had swarmed the squad and ripped them limb from limb. Her rescue had been three days later as she stood facing death.   
  
The rest of the Klendathu Campaign for her had been spent on Sanctuary. She had appealed until the higher ups gave in to get back into active duty during the battle for Earth, but then again, they need every single person they could get.   
  
She'd been assigned her own squad two years after the end of the war, and landed what she'd thought would be a cushy assignment with Eden. But now she was facing the enemy on his terms once again. But she wouldn't be taken out again.   
  
Her sergeant looked around the trench. The troopers were getting anxious. "What now?"   
  
"We wait, tell them to get some sleep or something, I don't care." She left him to deliver her orders while she went to an isolated spot on the outskirts of the perimeter and watched the bulbs moving closer.   
  


*****

  
  
Murphy didn't exactly want the bugs to hurry up, but he was sure as hell tired of waiting for them. Something had to happen, and soon. His troopers were getting restless and wanting to start opening up with atomics, but orders to the Lieutenants had been to maintain Eden's integrity at all costs, that meant no high yield explosives. They always took all the fun out of it.   
  
He didn't care specifically about the planet one way or another; it was just another rock that needed to be cleaned.   
  
His sergeant arrived in a small truck with three civilians who had sparse armor on and carried older model rifles. He jumped down into the trench that faced north towards the approaching hordes.   
  
"Fifty thousand sir." He said with a huff. "That's counting tankers and plasma bugs. What're your orders?"   
  
"We'll hold." Murphy said. "Man your post. They'll be here within the hour, if their pace doesn't change."   
  
The sergeant saluted and walked two hundred yards down and sat to himself. Murphy couldn't believe how far he'd come since the war, how he'd managed to survive. He'd been on the Bunker Hill during the first year of the hops, cleaning out the mounds. But as the bugs became increasingly harder to find and therefore eradicate, the forces used were downsized. As a result, he'd wound up on Eden.   
  
Five years of minor skirmishes, a few search and destroy missions, he'd kept some of his edge, but now, he was facing the enemy like he'd had to before. He was never going to be one hundred percent, but he'd die trying.   
  
His eyes peered over the loose dirt and watched as the bugs slowly moved closer. He felt uneasy not doing anything.   
  


*****

  
  
Colonel James Vivin smiled. The eastern front was undergoing final preparations. Range finders shouted distances every ten seconds to help the Marauders know when to open up. Night was closing now on the field, things could get difficult in the dark.   
  
The slow moving Plasma bugs were the easiest targets, and James wasn't about to allow them within range of the city, even though he knew from the war that their range was much more extensive than five miles. Why they hadn't begun a massive attack yet was beyond him, but he wasn't looking a gift horse in the mouth.   
  
Forty armed men and women and three marauders versus thirty thousand bugs. He liked those chances.   
  
"Ten meters until range!" A private screamed from down the trench. Guns were readied, grenades and other such munitions loaded into the chambers. The massive chain gun began spinning in order to allow for maximum usage.   
  
"Five meters!" Came the call.   
  
"Steady!" James shouted. "No heroes! Stay at your post!"   
  
"Range!" the private called out.   
  
"Fire!" James shouted squeezing the trigger.   
  
The plasma bugs slowly turned and the warriors sped up their pace, soon, carcasses were piling up across the field as tracers arched across in sweeping patters. Explosions ripped the ground and bugs to pieces, James felt alive. This had been a long time coming, he felt useful again. The bugs continued their advance.   
  
The plasma bugs lowered their hind quarters into position and seven blue balls of light shot out. They moved quickly, and accurately. James watched two of the Marauders instantly disappear along with twenty troops.   
  
"Harlem!" He shouted to his explosives expert. "Nuke, bug L-2, make it count!"   
  
"Orders sir!" The young man shouted pulling out a launcher and resting it on his shoulder.   
  
"To hell with the orders! Acquire your target!" James shouted into his com. He dropped three warriors with several pulses. Three troops jumper out of the trench and moved forward slowly. They were taking out a leading group quickly.   
  
"Target acquired sir!" Harlem shouted.   
  
"Take your shot!" James shouted vaulting out of the trench along with the remainder of his troops. The last marauder boosted over the trench and landed in the midst of a bug group of close to thirty and began to open up.   
  
The rocket left its berth and crisscrossed through the sky and locked in. It moved up then down and destroyed the bug at critical mass, enveloping the three on either side in balls of flame. Everyone was momentarily blinded, and it was enough for the bugs. While many of them were incinerated in the micro-nuclear explosion, those in the front continued onwards, and the human's three second lapse in vision was ample.   
  
James regained his vision to see three men torn to shreds only meters from him. The marauder was on its side, being rocked back and forth, the bugs trying to crack it open. Harlem and several others retreated back into the trench. He bit down for the channel that allowed him to hear all of the forces engaged around the city. The others were suffering lighter casualties than he was, but they couldn't hold the ground. It was impossible.   
  
He jumped back into the trench and moved towards Sellers, his communications officer.   
  
"Sellers!" He shouted over the screaming of both the bugs and humans. Some were still alive in the field.   
  
Sellers turned around, his young face streaked with tears and blood. "Sir?"   
  
"Patch me into the Governor!" he yelled. Sellers began to move but was quickly grabbed by a warrior thrust its upper mandible through the young boys chest. James jumped back and opened fire on the bug. It threw the boy's lifeless body into the coming crowds of bugs. More plasma fire ripped through the trench. Debris rained down around James as he watched the last four troops make their stand. In less than five minutes, his entire squad had been obliterated.   
  
James stood and moved down the trench to Harlem. They didn't die in vain. He grabbed the rocket launcher and pulled the three remaining nukes out. Harlem saw what he was doing and tried to stop him.   
  
"That's a negative soldier!" He said knocking the man back. "Get out of here, that truck is still a few meters away, get back to the city!" James grabbed a time delay fuse from a box of munitions. He motioned for all the remaining troops to abandon the position. They quickly scrambled up the opposite wall and made their way for the truck.   
  
A bug fell into the trench and saw James who fell back against the wall and blew its upper jaw off with a grenade round. The carcass blocked him from the other bugs that were soon rushing though. He gave Harlem and the others thirty seconds before clicking over to the command line.   
  
"Colonel James Vivin to all personnel. The eastern front has fallen." He cut the line and placed the fuse on the outer case of one of the nukes and quickly wired them together.   
  
The fuse was set and James closed his eyes.   
  


*****

  
  
The flash from the Capital Building of New Buenos Ares was spectacular. Howard grimaced at the Colonel's last transmission and knew exactly what happened. Fleet was still days away, he was quickly running out of options. He knew the electrical barrier was supposedly still operational.   
  
Howard stepped away from the window and sat at his desk. All civilians had thankfully already been pulled within the ten mile perimeter, so there was no evacuation to worry about. Perhaps there was hope.   
  
He punched up the command line and issued the orders for all squads to fall back and take up their secondary positions.   
  
"Sir," Murphy cut in. "In regards to previous orders towards the use of high yield weapons-"   
  
Howard cut him off. He knew that the options in the field were running out. "Belay those orders. Use any and all means to ensure retreat."   
  
The line was cut. Eden was going to fall.   
  
  
JEAN RAZAK  
  
Zim sat with the others in the mess hall watching FEDNET. The images of the battle were being broadcast from remote drones and satellite images. L'Ioo and Murphy were sitting on the tables while Kepler and Muniz sat bellow them on the benches. Doc and Brutto stood on either side of the screen while Gossard and Zim were separated on another table. Rico though, stood with his arms crossed leaning against the bulkhead watching the stars pass.   
  
They watched the eastern front fall and the nuclear blast that halted the advance towards the city from that direction for the time being. The other fronts were in the midst of retreating when the com lines picked up. They could hear every scream, every order, every sob, every breath.   
  
"Major Rico, report to the bridge," the loudspeaker echoes through out the ship. It was a female voice. "Major Rico, please report to the bridge."   
  
Zim looked over to Rico who turned and shrugged. "Squad's yours Charlie."   
  
Rico exited. Zim looked around and could see that no one had really noticed Rico's exit. He made a quick command decision and left his seat. He approached the screen and stepped in front of everybody. He turned his back to them and cut the feed. Protests began to erupt.   
  
"Zip it!" He barked. All became instantly quiet, except for Max, who continued to grumble in his own little way. Zim was used to it but decided he'd take care of it on his own time.   
  
"We are landing in a hot LZ!" He turned back to face them. "You greenies don't know what that's like," The older Roughnecks chuckled. "And you old farts don't even remember what that's like!" They quickly shut up.   
  
"I checked the records, Alpha team, that's Muniz, Kepler, L'Ioo and Murphy; your last drop into a red zone was during your basic. Your last trip to the VR Room was four months ago. Your last combat mission was two weeks ago. Beta Team, that Brutto, Gossard, and Doc; your last combat drop was the battle of Luna, nine years ago! Your last trip to a VR Room was varying, none earlier that seven years ago."   
  
"What about you Zim?" Max spat out.   
  
Zim looked at him and smiled. "Getting your rotten carcass off of Hawaii was mine." He winked at Max who only huffed and crossed his arms. "I have us set up for eight hours of training a day in room two until we arrive at our destination. Training time is at 1200 hours." He checked his watch. "That gives you fifteen minutes to be in full powered suit and have weapons checked. Move!"   
  
The tables quickly cleared except for Doc and Gossard who remained until the rest were out.   
  
"You ready for this LT?" Doc asked.   
  
"Yeah, it's a big job," Gossard said with a smile. "A squad to yourself."   
  
Zim sighed. "Not mine, still the Major's."   
  
"Rico's Roughnecks." Doc intoned. "You know now that you're here, some of the higher ups may push for him to take a desk job. Someone with his know-how, they'll want him strategizing."   
  
"Yeah," Gossard seconded. "Anyone notice his distance. We're his friends, even with us..."   
  
"The effects of long term social detachment." Doc said.   
  
Zim shrugged and said: "Not my business to worry about the Major, nor yours. Saddle up boys, twelve minutes until drop."   
  
Gossard and Doc nodded and left after an awkward moment. Zim followed shortly after. Rico had changed, a lot. War does that to you. Zim's mind wandered back to Miriam and how he wished he could just leave this all behind. He was tired of war, the latter half of his life had been devoted to war, and now, he was actually growing tired of it. But he was up for one last hoo-rah.   
  


*****

  
  
Admiral Ibanez sat on the bridge, her aide had called for Rico shortly before. She missed him dearly, sometimes looking back and wishing that maybe they could've had a chance of working out. But that was the past.   
  
She pulled a small pad up from beside her chair and looked it over. The engines hadn't been broken in yet, and were running at only eighty percent efficiency. The engineers were having trouble keeping the engines cooled, and still, they were getting barked at for more speed.   
  
Jonnie reached the bridge and she put the pad down. She looked up at him as he stepped in front of her.   
  
"Admiral." He said officially.   
  
"Major." She gave him a warm smile which he returned. "At ease Major. I have something you need to see. Ensign Gonzalez, pull the feed up."   
  
The communications officer pulled up a video. Rico recognized the terrain quickly.   
  
"Klendathu," He watched as transports burst through the thick atmosphere and plowed into the mountains.   
  
"This was thirty minutes ago, we got it five." Carmen turned to Rico. "Reports are coming in from all the outposts on the borders, transports are everywhere, maybe twenty total."   
  
"And if each contains seventy five thousand bugs," Rico continued her sentence. "That's 1.5 million bugs."   
  
"With the possibility of more on their way." Carmen said holding up a report. "And we have no idea where they're coming from."   
  
Rico watched on the vid as bugs soon began swarming. "What are our orders after Eden?"   
  
"Fall back with the survivors to Tesca Nemerosa. We'll meet up with the third task force and be given orders from there."   
  
"Survivors..." Rico let the word hang a moment. SICON was already expecting heavy casualties. "Not thinking many will be getting out alive I assume."   
  
"The psychics are going crazy," the word psychics made Jonnie think of Carl. He could really use him now. "We're in for it."   
  
Rico saw the bugs overrun the vid and all went to static. "Are we still getting a feed from Klendathu?"   
  
"Somewhat," Carmen said sitting. "Its garbled, static, lots of mix transmissions. We have no idea what is really happening there."   
  
"We need more speed." Rico said stepping down and exiting the bridge. Carmen gave the orders, they were still three to five days away, hopefully Eden could last that long.   
  
  
KLENDATHU  
  
"GET OFF OF THE GROUND!" the LT shouted at Private Henderson as he crawled for the trench. He felt a firm hand take hold of his shoulder pad and pull him into the trench. The LT stood next to him, his muddy boots stomping into the wet ground. Again, he was pulled and found himself face to face with the LT.   
  
"I told you to get off of the ground Private!" He grabbed his helmet and pulled it until the plastic that separated them touched. "Do you have a malfunction Private?"   
  
"No sir!" Henderson screamed.   
  
"Good. Now, if you slow me down, you will be bug bait." He released his grip and thrust a gun into Henderson's hands. An explosion caused debris to rain down from the orange sky in thick chunks. Joseph turned back to the battle to see tracer fire tearing through the dusk sky, bugs were dropping all over the place, their massive shapes being partially illuminated by the red hot rounds, giving the scene a eerie, desperate feel.   
  
The others in the squad had fallen a few hours before in the evacuation from Fort McCall, leaving only Joseph and the LT to fall back to the secondary trench lines. The LT had managed to get the sentry guns working, seeing as they hadn't been used in two or three years. He'd been trying to lay some mines in front of the razor wire when an attack had come from the direction of the fort.   
  
"What are our orders, sir?" Joseph asked taking aim and dropping a few warriors who broke through the deterrent a hundred feet beyond them.   
  
"No orders Private." The LT said grimly loading another magazine into his weapon.   
  
"Sir?"   
  
"HQ reports more bugs than what landed. It seems there were thousands of dormant insects waiting for the call."   
  
"What about the fleet, sir?" Henderson asked, beginning to become truly scared. His training had managed to keep him calm until the basic logic functions of his mind began to take over.   
  
"Fleet..." The LT trailed off and waited a moment. "Fleet's 'working on a plan'. We don't know when to expect retrieval. It's now every squad for themselves." He turned to Henderson. "I am sorry son, but...we're going to have to move soon."   
  
The sound from the sentry guns stopped, the air was still, like the planet itself was holding its breath.   
  
"The Major has authorized the use of any force necessary to survive. We're going to try and make our way for Fort Pyres, about fifteen miles south of us."   
  
"And there sir?" Henderson asked.   
  
"Well, if we don't encounter any other MI, we make the transition into guerilla battle tactics. Causing as much damage as we can, and just hope for Fleet to eventually get here."   
  
Henderson looked to the ground and let out a sigh. Things were beginning to look more and more hopeless. The LT patted him on the shoulder.   
  
"I'm not a total hardass son, I do want you to survive, so I am going to try and keep you alive." He took a look around, night had fallen and the perimeter was silent. "Grab as many supplies that you can manage to carry, we move in fifteen."   
  
"You think we can make it, sir?" He asked taking two extra canteens from a rusting iron box. The air tight seal on the containers would keep the water fresh for up to six years, so they still had time.   
  
"No. But we're going to try, they have an armory and air locks there, hopefully we can survive for a while there." He began gathering weapons and ammo into a satchel. After ten minutes, they left the trenches unattended, the sentry guns would keep the bugs off of them as long as the ammo lasted.   
HYDORA  
  
The waters of Hydora had been quiet for over ten years since the last human transport had lifted off. The indigenous species had begun the slow reclamation of their planet back for what few bugs they thought had lingered behind and reestablished their natural equilibrium with their planet.   
  
But today, the peaceful airs were destroyed by the roar of arachnid transports crashing through the atmosphere and flying across the water to various islands where remaining bugs waited. Broken waters thrashed on what little land could be seen as they crisscrossed around the planet for hours before finally leaving for their intended targets. And life returned to normal on the water planet.   
  
  
NEAR LOVELL  
  
[You hear me human?] The voice whispered.   
  
Carl sat up startled from his sleep. He stepped out his bunk and made his way to the front cabin. The star field above was clear. He had been hallucinating, and was having trouble keeping his location hidden from the queen; her psychic attacks were too much sometimes in his weakened state. He'd managed to apply his field medical procedures that he'd learned in basic to help him at least feel better. The ship was in disarray as he'd pulled components out from bulkheads and tried to hotwire the ship back into functioning order. But the problem seemed to be mechanical and not electrical, which meant as soon as he was ready he'd have to leave the ship and work outside it, which could be extremely dangerous.   
  
He decided to go ahead and check his powered suit and prep it for himself. The average warm up time was two hours, so that gave him some more time to try and get the radio working, SICON needed to know the location of the queen.   
  
He soon found himself underneath the comm. pulling wires out and trying to get the antennae back into working condition, but it just didn't seem like it was going to work. This truly wasn't his week. He went back to the engine compartment and tried to ignite the engines, but again, after thirty minutes of tearing and rearranging, nothing would work. He was beginning to get frustrated when he was struck by an idea that might work.   
  
The search didn't take long, he knew where they would be heading, and therefore, basing it off of a trajectory from Tophet to Eden, Carl was able to locate the ship the Roughnecks were on. He was surprised to find it operational already; its shakedown cruise had been scheduled for a month ago on a three week tour. Seeing it in his mind's eye gave him hope, SICON had gotten something from his message, Jonnie had gotten his message. He continued his search through out the ship, using one person's mind to find the one he was looking for.   
  
He found him in the VR Room, firing at holographic images of bugs. He smiled when noticed that they were all together.   
  
Carl knew that the queen was afraid of the Roughnecks, of Jonnie, of Carl. They'd been the only enemy in a thousand years to successfully kill one, so they were a threat of the most lethal kind. Gossard continued firing over the trench lines on the photon constructed landscape of a twilight Klendathu.   
  
"I'm sorry Gossard," Carl said in his mind to his distant friend. He concentrated and pushed.   
  
  
JEAN RAZAK   
  
Gossard kneeled next to Doc. "You think that the LT can make this any easier?"   
  
Doc shrugged and continued firing. "One little two little three little arachnids all dressed in black and white," he sang with each one he dropped in succession. "Four little five little six arachnids, all of whom are going to die!"   
  
"Hey, old timers," Max shouted from down the trench. "Less sing-a-long and more shooting."   
  
"I'm not to old to come down there and show you that this old timer can still teach you a thing or two." Gossard yelled.   
  
I'm sorry Gossard, he heard.   
  
"Yeah, that's right you are!" Gossard yelled at Max.   
  
"What are you talking about?" Max replied disgusted.   
  
Gossard looked at him a moment. "You didn't just—" Gossard cut himself off with a long scream that caused Zim to pause the simulation. Gossard grabbed his head and fell into Doc.   
  
He could feel sharp pains surging throughout his mind, certain memories coming up for no reason at all, then they stopped and all went black. He awoke in the infirmary with Doc's smiling face over him.   
  
"Wakey wakey sunshine," Doc said helping him up. "It's time for school."   
  
Gossard felt his head swimming with searing memories of ships schematics and advanced T-1334A engine field repairs for some reason. "I feel like I was hit by a truck."   
  
"Not far from it," Doc said pulling up a neural scan. Rico and Murphy were present next to his bed.   
  
"You okay Goss?" Rico asked worriedly. He could see the fear for his friend's life in his eyes; it was something that Rico hadn't seemed to have lost in the years of the constant war.   
  
"Yeah, I'll be okay," He said throwing his legs over the edge of the medical bed. "How long was I out?"   
  
"An hour," Doc said, "Private Murphy helped me lug your heavy carcass all the way up here. You been putting on weight on that boat?"   
  
Goss smiled. "All muscle baby! All muscle!"   
  
"What happened to him Doc?" Murphy asked in his thick accent.   
  
"Looks like a psychic probe by the way his synapses are firing." Doc said pointing at several highlighted points on the display. "A strong one at that."   
  
"The queen?" Rico asked.   
  
"No," Gossard said. "I heard someone tell me they were sorry right before it happened. They were accessing ship schematics, they were looking for something in particular. They wanted to repair a ship"   
  
"Carl?" Rico asked Doc who only shrugged.   
  
"It is possible, I read a work up on him, his powers have magnified tenfold since the end of the war. And since no one knows where he is..."   
  
"He could be in trouble." Rico said. He looked at Gossard who looked a little woozy. "Is he going to be ready for drop?"   
  
"Me and the ship's doctor both concur, he needs at least two days of light duty, but yeah, he should be." Doc said giving him a slap on the back. "Hear that, you can only fake it for two days, after that, you have to go back to work."   
  
"Sounds good to me." Gossard said with a smile. "I could use some time to sleep, old man Zim has us on four hours followed by two hours of PT before grub."   
  
"What's wrong with him?" Murphy asked loudly. "Is he trying to kill us?"   
  
"Careful Private, that's an LT you're talking about." He smiled over at him. "Your beauty sleep that important?"   
  
"No sir, sorry sir." Murphy said quickly.   
  
"The LT is trying to keep you from being killed." Rico said smiling at Doc. "You haven't been in a true war situation yet. You don't get sleep on the front." Murphy looked suddenly worried. "Go get some sleep Private, Major's orders."   
  
"Yes, sir." Murphy saluted and left the empty infirmary.   
  
"You taking us down Jonnie?" Gossard asked.   
  
Jonnie gave him a malicious smile. "Ol' Zim ain't getting my squad. You're butts are mine. Both of you get some rest, I'm taking over tomorrow, three days until we reach the planet. We're going to have some fun."   
  
He left the infirmary and let Doc help Gossard to the bunks where most of the squad was already asleep. L'Ioo was in her small room on her knees at her bunk. Doc laid Goss down and hopped up onto his bunk.   
  
"And I had gotten used to a real bed." He said throwing his shirt down. "But I think I missed this."   
  
"You sure that's not indigestion?" Gossard asked.   
  
"Might be." Doc replied after a moment of thought.   
  
Gossard stared at L'Ioo for a moment and noticed that Murphy was lying in bed, his eyes wide open, staring at the bunk above him. He looked back to L'Ioo.   
  
"What's she doing?" He asked nudging Murphy's bunk and nodding to the kneeling Tophetti.   
  
"Praying." He said plainly. "She's done it since she was a girl, always, right before she goes to sleep, for an hour. And believe it or not, after the life she's had, she's giving thanks."   
  
Murphy laid back down. "Does he ever stop accursed noise?" he yelled kicking Max's bunk above him.   
  
"Nope," Gossard said resting his head on his pillow. "You'll get used to it."   
  
  
LOVELL A-19   
  
The queen sat idly listening for the thoughts of the one she was after. But she couldn't hear him, couldn't locate him. He was stronger than when her mother and faced him, he was blocking her. She had other concerns too. On the homeworld, the Terrans were scattered and in disarray but were causing extensive damage to the armies through what seemed to be suicide attacks.   
  
It was something she knew they would do when pressed to the limit, but it was something that she was unfamiliar with. Why would a species, confronted with death, throw its life away in a blaze of futility? What were the rewards?   
  
But it didn't matter; she had more for her armies. Three of her transports landed on the rocky surface above her and load close to two hundred thousand fresh troops for the hordes to dispose of the human race for good. She set the course for the transports telepathically and let go with orders to destroy anything that got in their way. The target was set, the humans would know what it was like to be pushed from their home much like her species had, but unlike her, they would not be returning.  
  
  
  
"And now as the armies clashed at one strategic point  
they slammed their shields together, pike scraped pike  
with the grappling stength of fighters armed in bronze  
and their round shields' bosses pounded hide-to-hide  
and the thunder of struggle roared and rocked the earth.  
Screams of men and cries of triumph breaking in one breath,  
fighters killing, fighters killed, and the ground streamed blood."  
  
  
_The Iliad_ - Book Eight: The Tide of Battle Turns; Homer 


	8. Episode 8: Old Times

"The Eden Campaign"  
Episode 208 - Old Times (Episode Written by Ensign Calvin and edited by Fixx)  
Day 4 (4 SBW)  
  
"When I first landed on Eden with the Wolves, I wasn't prepared for the sight I saw. During the three years I spent with the Roughnecks on over a dozen worlds, I had never seen devastation like I did on Eden. Bodies of the fallen were like the grains of sand on the beach and many wept openly. Our LT pushed us forward, the battle zone, three miles from the center of the city, was one of the most uplifting sights I had ever seen. Men and women fighting against the odds with anything they could just to stop the onslaught on a seemingly invincible machine."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: The Roughneck Chronicles   
LOVELL A-19   
  
[The tide has turned,] the Bug Queen said, nestled in safe confines on the Lovell Asteroids. Countless reports were streamed back psychically via her brain bug generals relating the news that the humans were down to controlling the 10 mile radius deep in the heart of the capital city.   
  
New Buenos Ares, the last bastion of hope for the humans on Eden. The humans had heavily fortified the perimeter of the city, but the onrushing tide of warriors had proved to be overwhelming. Dismayed and demoralized, the humans were forced to flee into the aging perimeter left from the first war ten years ago, controlling a thick triangle territory of burning buildings.   
  
Yet all this did not matter to the Queen. Nothing did, now that the human known as Carl Jenkins had been disposed of. Victory was eminent. For a brief moment, the Queen felt a twinge of pity and sympathy for the pathetic humans, and that startled her. She shook herself, clearing her mind of all these unwholesome thoughts. The human race must be exterminated, together with the Tophetti.   
  
She was sure that soon she would make her final move and then, all would be silent.   
  
  
EDEN   
  
Governor Williams glanced out into the city through his binoculars. It was an unpleasant sight. The bugs had them completely surrounded, and the MI garrison was powerless to stem the tide and defend the weak and innocent. He zoomed in on a housing estate some five miles away, watching as a group civilians stood their grounds against the unstoppable tide of gnashing mandibles. The civilians were pathetically armed and stood little chance, but yet, stood their ground.   
  
It was a short and bloody scrap, as the civilians tried to make their presence known, they would not go down without a fight. The first warrior had fallen under the constant firing, but they were soon out of ammo and rushing them with knives and clubs, anything they could pick up. The remaining warriors had advanced menacingly, an uncontrollable lust for blood driving them forward. Claws engineered genetically to kill, against knives destined for the chopping board. He was glad it was over quickly.   
  
Colonial Governor Williams paced up and down his study in anxiety. He had desperately tried to get Fleet on the horn, but so far, there was no response. He stared out of his window and heard faint sounds of Morita and auto cannon fire, together with death screeches of the Warriors rushing in. Suddenly, he heard the sounds of plasma fire. He quickly found his commlink, and barked out, "Murphy, Lindsey, Ryan, report! What is your status?" Williams tried to relax, but his nerves couldn't.   
  
He hadn't seen battle this bad in years, and the garrison stationed to hold off what was left of a supposedly dwindling species was not enough to stop the water.   
  


****** 

  
Lt Murphy, leader of Murphy's Marauders, glanced quickly around him before reporting. "Murphy responding? What's the 411? Blue Zone is hot, but the bugs are still being contained. I would sure like to have reinforcements, sir! I don't really fancy 5 troopers and 25 citizens going against about 5 million bugs! Over and out."   
  
Murphy cut the transmission, as he suddenly had more things to contend with. There was a slight breakthrough made by the bugs. He thumbed his grenade and threw it into the area after making sure no human was in its blast radius. Blue Zone is the long left flank of the electric fence defense perimeter, spanning 5 meters.   
  
"Join the Mobile Infantry, see the galaxy." chuckled Murphy bitterly, as he emptied his clip of pulse rounds into the sky darkened by a swarm of Hoppers that had seemed to come from nowhere.   
  
"Open fire! Air Attack Incoming! Evens, maintain the perimeter!" Murphy's sergeant called out to the field commissioned soldiers. Quickly, every other soldier had their weapons trained on the cloud of death heading for them.   
  
Soon the sky was raining flying arachnids, as each of the pulse round took out a section of the insects' appendages. Twitching bug body parts began landing all over the area. The portable chain gun turrets, SICON's response to the flying bug menaces, began spewing out bullets at a high rate of fire. The hulking steel turrets have artificial intelligence, and they fired with deadly accuracy. Waves and waves of warriors were getting scythed down by the chain gun turrets along with the incoming air menace.   
  
The only problem, as if it was any surprise, was ammunition. There simply weren't crates and crates of chain gun rounds for the steel beasts to consume. Murphy heard the faint whirring of the turrets, signaling that it was out of ammo. Murphy grumbled something intelligible, and lobbed 4 thermal grenades into the sea of warriors.   
  


****** 

  
Lt. Lindsey of Lindsey's Lancers fired a mini grenade from her Morita before patching through to Colonial Command. Red Zone was held by her, which was the horizontal line of the defense perimeter spanning 2 miles. It was the main entry through the electric fence, the most coveted place for the bugs.   
  
"Awful crowded here, Williams. Mind sending me more troopers? Heck, I could use more civilians. The marauders assigned to me were not enough! I need 2 more here, ASAP. Do you get me? The fence had shorted out, repeat, the fence is gone. The bugs are breasting through in waves 2 miles long! I CANNOT hold with 5 troopers, 33 citizens, and 2 Marauders! The plasma wall rockets had been used, and you have 10 minutes to save our butts!" yelled Lindsey into her commlink.   
  
The dazzling blue light and heat emitted from the plasma wall forced Lindsey to survey the area through her snoopers, but she grinned for a while. The warrior bugs were milling in confusion, pushing each other into the plasma fire. The Hoppers were unable to decelerate, zooming straight into obliteration. She glanced off to her right side, and faraway, she could just make out Lt Ryan and his squad of Rangers fending off the bug hordes.   
  


****** 

  
Lt Ryan, leader of Ryan's Rangers, let loose a hail of rockets at the incoming warriors. He heard the familiar expelling of plasma bug charges and screamed through his commlink for his troopers to take cover. The troopers and citizens dived to the ground for cover, as the sea blue plasma shots engulfed sections of the electric fence together with some of the Warriors.   
  
"I'm having a trouble feeling for my ammo clips, Governor, best suggest you fill up my ammo pouch up, pronto!" spat Ryan, trying to control his fury against his badly trained and equipped "squad".   
  
Ha! 5 men a squad! The top dogs up in SICON are mad! Ryan picked up 2 mini rocket launchers and fired 2 salvoes of 3 rockets each. The death screeches produced by the warriors were oddly satisfying for Ryan. His sergeant rushed to him from the far side of the trench.   
  
"We have three more plasmas on their way from the east."   
  


****** 

  
Williams rapidly issued orders to his aides, glad and relieved to hear his "generals" at the frontlines responding. The 4 Tactical Fighters that made it to the last airstrip in the defense perimeter took to the air, screaming at top speed towards Ryan's coordinates. From the Federal Armory emerged the last 2 duck marauders, and these 2 great steel beasts hunkered towards Lindsey's Red Zone with a detachment of 18 citizens. No civilians were dispatched, as they were not officially subjects of SICON yet. A frown creased Williams' forehead, as the long range commlink beeped to signal a response from Fleet. Finally! Williams straightened his uniform, and switched on the transmission. An officer saluted Williams, and Williams replied,   
  
"I need backup from any available squads aboard your ships! I also need ground bombardment around this defense perimeter, ASAP!"   
  
The officer held up his hand. "Governor," He said. "I understand your anxiety, but you being an ex-SICON officer understand that there is certain protocol that we must first abide by. Now I ask that you calm down and pay close attention to what I have to say. Understood?"   
  
Williams took a deep breath and sat himself into his chair as explosions ripped the ground apart across the street.   
  
"My name is Commander Dubois of the _Jean Razak_; I am speaking on behalf of the _Ticonderoga_, _Threshold_ and _Harry Lee_ per the orders commanding officer, Admiral Carmen Ibanez, in command of the _SIS Jean Razak_-"   
  
Williams interrupted. "Yes, yes, I know. All formality..."   
  
"This formality has a purpose at the moment Governor." Dubois said with ice in his voice. "As of 2600 hours Eden standard, you are ordered to prepare evacuations of the city and its surrounding areas by Sky Marshal Redwing-Zim."   
  
"Evacuate!" Williams shouted.   
  
"Yes, we will be sending in several squads to help with said evacuations." Dubois let his words hang then his demeanor seemed to change. "We'll be dropping in the Roughnecks within the hour. We don't have long to get you and what people we can off."   
  
Williams sat back in his chair biting his lip and looked away. "I'll order preparations."   
  
"God's speed Governor." Dubois said and the transmission was cut.   
  


****** 

  
The 4 Tac Fighters streaked towards their targets, flying over the defense perimeter. "Eagle 1, Eagle 2, Eagle 3, this is Exterminator 1. Do you read?" said the leader of the small aerial squadron.   
  
"Ah, we heard you loud and clear. All Eagles responding." crackled the transmissions back to the lead pilot.   
  
"All weapons armed. Bogey's incoming, permission to engage?" shouted Eagle 1, bringing up the air to air missile console.   
  
"All fighters engage the bogeys with care. Remember our mission priority." replied Exterminator. The 4 fighters deployed defensive maneuvers, swerving about to dodge the onrushing hoppers. Missiles lanced out from their ports on the fighters and cut through the air towards their targets, soon causing large clouds of organic debris to spread through the air. Homing chain gun ammo spewed from each of the fighter's twin turrets, maiming and bringing down almost more and more of the enemy, but their supply seemed infinite. With stunning agility and grace, several hoppers dodged and sidestepped the whizzing bullets and screaming missiles. 4 hoppers latched onto Eagle 1 and the fighter began to descend rapidly, due to the increased weight.   
  
"Mayday, mayday, Exterminator. Eagle 1 is down! I'll try to return to New Buenos Ares as best as I can." said Eagle 1, as he used the emergency evacuation button. The hatch was blown away, as the pilot seat shot straight up into the sky. The fighter crashed into the ground and imploded, shredding the 4 hoppers on it with flaming shrapnel.   
  
Eagle 2 and Eagle 3 weren't faring as well either, as each aircraft had 2 hoppers lodged on either wing.   
  
"Stabilizing the aircraft Exterminator 1. Eagle 2 will try to return to base immediately-" both aircrafts' comm. transmissions were cut as a single plasma shot pierced through the hulls of both aircrafts. The aircrafts rocketed straight into each other and collided, creating a fireball that melted the titanium welding of both aircrafts.   
  
I'm the only one left, Exterminator 1 thought as he gripped the steering controls tightly.   
  
Exterminator managed to pilot his fighter and launched four more missiles, which impacted the plasma bugs in a matter of seconds. The result was a simultaneous explosion that rocked the area in a rapidly expanding wave of plasma flames. The fighter was downed, and Exterminator managed to pull off a successful landing. The pilot blew open the hatch, and took up the Fleet modified Morita near his seat. He checked the ammo in the clip. 200 rounds.   
  
Goddamn Fleet for not putting in spare ammo clips for downed pilots, and putting in partially used clips. He hopped down onto the mat of grass, and tried to get his bearings.   
  
"Exterminator to Eden HQ, do you read? Repeat, do you read?" whispered Exterminator fiercely into his commlink. All he got was static. And warrior bugs. Angry warrior bugs. He panicked and began pulling the trigger, shooting blindly at the encircling warriors. 2 fell, and the Morita beeped incessantly to tell him the inevitable. He flipped the Morita and held it like a bat. The first warrior with jaws open to greet him was smacked heavily to the ground by his wide swing. He was preparing to swing the Morita again, when a warrior bit off his arm. His screaming was quickly drowned out by the warrior's massive call of victory over yet another prey fallen.   
JEAN RAZAK   
  
Carmen handed over a pad to Rico who quickly scanned and handed it back. He nodded.   
  
"Order's understood Major?" She asked softly.   
  
"Explicitly Admiral." He said saluting.   
  
She began to walk away when his next words caught her.   
  
"But we're the only squad." Rico looked at her with an eyebrow raised.   
  
"For now," She replied looking down. "We need a beachhead, executive decision. The Roughnecks have more veteran combat time than any other squad in the task force, and this is an extremely dangerous situation."   
  
"So only one squad?" Rico asked crossing his arms.   
  
"Listen Major, I think you have more important things to worry about. Suit up Major." Carmen said and left the briefing room.   
  
Rico clenched his fists in a silent rage at the audacity of sending one squad into a situation so hopeless. He went into the pre-drop room where Zim had been refreshing the troopers on arachnid tactics and all useful information.   
  
"This is going to be a full blown battle people," Rico interrupted, then entire squad turned to face him as he spoke. He walked through the middle of the room and stood in front of them. "Alpha Squad, you haven't faced battle like this in over eight years, beta squad: never."   
  
Rico took a deep breath. He could feel the anxiety making the air sticky. He smiled. "But hey, we've gotten out of worse."   
  
Every let the tension subside and smiled. The drop klaxons began to blare through out the ship and everyone quickly stood. All were in full power suits, ready to take the fight from the vids to the enemy. The desire to actually do something had reached a fever pitch. The older Roughnecks were at each other's throats while the younger ones were unsure of how to take out their aggression. Rico had taken them into the VR Room and trained with them for a few hours each day, every time increasing the difficulty to get them ready for more than they had ever encountered.   
  
Each trooper moved quickly with refined intuition towards their drop ship, it was a routine drill that Zim had had them running for the past week while Rico and Gossard drew up some ideas for what they may encounter. They decided that nukes would not be used inside the city limits, which was where they most likely would be dropped. Doc had issued morphine caplets to everyone,   
  
"Only take them if you need them," He had said quietly to Rico. "This hasn't really been done on this scale in a long time, we're bound to get injuries, and I may not be able to get to everyone if it gets really nasty."   
  
Grenades had been issued to all troopers with orders to drop them while still in the air to clear a hole inside the bug horde to allow for safe landings.   
  
"And that's when the fun begins," Rico whispered.   
  
"Eh? You say something Major?" Murphy asked turning around as he pulled himself into the drop ship.   
  
"Just talking to myself private," Rico said pulling himself in right behind him.   
  
"Just like the vids right Major?" Murphy asked. Excitement and fear were mixed together on freckled face with a smile of shear enjoyment.   
  
"Not exactly Private," Rico said with a smile. "Just watch your tail down there; you have a bunch of geezers following you around."   
  
"I heard that!" Gossard called from inside the ship.   
  
"Hey Zim, think you could move your elbow?" Max yelled as the two strapped in next to each other.   
  
"Boy, do not make me hurt you!" Zim yelled in his face. "Do have to treat you like a little kid again and make you raise your hand to speak?"   
  
"Hey Zim, you got a dunces cap for him too?" Doc laughed. Muniz chuckled lightly beside him.   
  
"Same for you greenie!" Zim shouted down the row, making Muniz quickly quiet. Murphy strapped himself in between L'Ioo and Gossard.   
  
"Ready for a rush kid?" Gossard asked with a malicious, wide-eyed grin. "You know, if you get hungry down there, the bugs make for a good meal, a little stringy, but overall, kind of like beef."   
  
Kepler vomited inside his helmet as he listened to everyone's banter. He took it off and looked at Rico who was standing on the command daises. A map of the City major and suburbs popped up on the holographic screen. Kepler cleaned out his helmet and sat it next to him.   
  
"Helmet on Private." Rico said turning to him.   
  
"But Major, it smells..." Kepler began before more laughter.   
  
"Should have thought of that before you felt the need to hurl," Rico said turning back to the full squad. "All suits will remain in perfect integrity until we achieve our mission objectives."   
  
Kepler slowly replaced his helmet and breathed in deeply. He began gagging as Rico continued the briefing.   
  
"The Lieutenant has briefed you on everything you need to know about the enemy, his strength and the city. We are landing a mile outside the main city defense perimeter." An isosceles triangle with red, blue and yellow sides traced itself out, the longer side was red. "We're landing the sector designated by the Eden garrison as Red Zone; it's the most stretched out and in need of back up. It is also the area under heaviest attack."   
  
The transport lurched and Rico grabbed the railings as they were rocketed from the launch bay of the Razak. Rico continued his briefing.   
  
"Tankers have been spotted by orbital imaging, so watch you butts guys, we're landing in the belly of the beast." The ship stopped shaking, there was a moment of weightlessness before the artificial gravity took over. "Check your gear, we drop in five." Rico stepped down as the squad all released their restraints and began to prepare for the drop. He quickly approached Kepler who was still in his seat, holding his Morita like a child holds its blanket.   
  
"You okay Private?" Rico asked kneeling next to him and speaking softly as to not startle him.   
  
"Nervous sir, that's all." Kepler replied quickly. "Is it going to be that bad down there?"   
  
"Most likely," Rico glanced at Kepler's leg. "How's your leg?"   
  
"Ship's doctor on the _Threshold_ said it'd be okay. Doc and the Razak's doctor checked it, said I should be okay as long as I don't twist it in any awkward directions."   
  
"Just be on the bounce." Rico said. He took a moment with each trooper, making sure everyone was going to be up to the task. He stepped aside with Zim.   
  
"What do you think?" He asked.   
  
Zim smiled. "Home sweet home." He looked around as everyone was loading supplies onto their belts and making final checks on their suits. "I doubt everyone will make it through though."   
  
"Think so?"   
  
"It's a possibility," Zim looked down for a moment. "The young ones are too nervous; the old ones are too rusty."   
  
"Just like riding a bike Charlie." Rico said with a smile. Then the alarms began to sound.   
  
"This is it people!" Rico bellowed. Every trooper quickly rushed into the drop compartment and stepped into their drop suits. Gossard stopped and looked at his.   
  
"No Marauders." He noticed then stepped inside. The pieces all slid into place and locked. Everyone sat there, suspended in the stillness as the alarms blared.   
  
Rico took a breath. "Live forever apes."   
  
"Ho!"   
EDEN   
  
Lindsey put her hand to the com and increased the volume. "Say again command?"   
  
The shooting and screaming was intense. The street corner where she'd made her small command post for the two dozen troopers was alive with activity as the marauders shot continuously into the coming warriors who were squeezing their way down the narrow street. The buildings were all aflame and crumbling under the constant barrage.   
  
"The Roughnecks will be landing in your sector Lieutenant!" the voice shouted back elatedly. "Major Rico is actually here."   
  
"Copy command!" Lindsey said with a satisfied smile. She looked up as the sonic boom echoed through out the city; she could see nine streaks of fire burning through the clouds heading in her direction. The troopers present all began to let out cries of triumph and fought with a newfound strength.   
  
The great Major Rico was here at Eden. The Roughnecks.   
  


****** 

  
Rico glanced at his chronometer. "Jettison pods... now! Lob the grenades!" he shouted into his mouthpiece.   
  
Drop suits burst into hundreds of tiny parts, revealing the troopers within them. They quickly began to lob their grenades beneath them into the milling mass of warrior bugs.   
  
The jets fired and each trooper maneuvered around the burning hulks and landed just as the heat wave generated from the grenades passed. They quickly produced their Moritas and began firing on the stunned enemy. The electric fence was a mile away from them, and in that one mile, there was still a sea of warriors to contend with. Hoppers swooped down like eagles drawn to preys from the reddening sky above.   
  
A plasma shot erupted dangerously close to the Roughnecks as the moved quickly towards their objective, which signaled the presence of plasma bugs too. Rico growled and screamed for his troopers to double time. He sprayed his Morita into the sea of warriors, which was confused at the sudden arrival of more humans. Several warriors dropped and Rico found a clear path between him and the fence.   
  
By now, the Roughnecks had carved out a hole in the bug hordes and were standing in a tight circle. Rico motioned for Muniz and Kepler to use the rocket launchers. There was not a moment of hesitation, as Muniz and Kepler expertly loaded the caches of 3 missiles into the 2 launchers.   
  
"Fire in the hole!" whooped Muniz, as a rocket streaked from his launcher into a group of warriors. The rocket barreled deep into a warrior's carapace, and exploded, throwing warriors everywhere. The temporary hole caused by the explosions quickly began to fill with more warriors looking for their kill. Rico looked about and finally thought of an insanely dangerous plan, one he'd pulled off in his younger days. It was risky, but it was the best chance for all of them to make it through.   
  
"Jump jets! Use them and use the warrior carapaces to step on! Make a path to the perimeter! Move apes, Move!" exclaimed Rico. He activated the jets and began bouncing on the confused bugs.   
  
His troopers were quick to follow Rico's example and began bouncing across the heads confused and shaken bugs who were still trying to recover from the rapid concussions of the grenades and rockets.   
  
Rico slid in through the front gate of the electric fence, as he saw most of his troopers scaling the fence. Lord bless the guy who invented rubber and insulated suite, thought Rico as he took out a charge. He set the fuse for a two minute detonation, and spoke in the all comms.   
  
"two minutes till a big boom! Take cover people!" laughed Rico, as he threw the charge. It flew in a wide arc, and landed a few hundred meters away from him. He sprinted the remaining distance to safety and ducked down. Rico smiled a lady he had never met, yet wearing the rank of the lieutenant. With a brilliant flash of light, a huge fireball generated by the charge incinerated a large number of the warriors and hoppers, creating large heat shockwaves which traveled all about.   
  
Debris from the ground was falling for a few moments on troopers who had hid behind the barriers hastily set up days ago. Rico stood up and flipped his snoopers down. The bugs were in complete confusion and in retreat for the moment. He smiled warmly at the Lieutenant beside him, presumably Lindsey. Lindsey blushed and saluted Rico.   
  
"Nothing like a brief victory, eh Lieutenant?" Rico asked.   
  
"I suppose sir." She said quietly putting down her hand. Rico smiled again and moved beyond her.   
  
"Doc, begin assessing the wounded, I want them ready to move! Gossard, find someway to get this entire perimeter up and working!" Rico shouted, Lindsey was wondering what was going on. "Zim, you, L'Ioo, and Kepler check our north perimeter, get back to me ASAP. Brutto, you Murphy and Kepler, to the south, same orders!" He watched as they all split to carry out his orders. Rico removed his helmet and turned to Lindsey who was awe struck and confused.   
  
"I want as many as the wounded out of here, ASAP, radio for the same to the other squads. I want their Zones ready to collapse."   
  
"Collapse, sir?" Lindsey asked.   
  
"We're falling into the inner city. Easier to defend, we have three more squads who will be dropping into the city within the next three hours as back up. I want everyone ready to move by that time." Rico said, he looked into the burning city. "We're leaving."   
  
"Leaving, sir?" Lindsey was getting angry. If he was getting at what she thought he was getting at, there were going to be major problems.   
  
"We're to have this planet evac'd in the next few days."   
  
"But, sir!" Lindsey yelled.   
  
"Listen Lieutenant, there are bugs all over this galaxy right now; we cannot hold this line with our supplies! We are ordered to evacuate the planet! Now, you will assist or I'll have Lieutenant Zim put you under arrest until we can get off of this rock! Am I understood?"   
  
Lindsey was taken back. "Yes, sir!" she quickly replied.   
  
"Good, secure your perimeter." He turned to Doc who was bent over a dying man. He approached him slowly and kneeled. The young man recognized Rico and smiled.   
  
"A-are you Major Rico?" He wheezed holding out his hand. Rico took it.   
  
"Massive burns and fractures," Doc said quietly. "Internal bleeding, ruptured kidneys and a pierced lung. They say he kept fighting though, until someone pulled him away."   
  
"Yes, I'm Major Rico son." Rico smiled and gripped the young man's hand tighter.   
  
"You're going to take E-Eden b-b-back?" he coughed heavily, heaving blood out.   
  
"I gave him what morphine I had to ease the pain. He's not even MI. He snuck onto a truck I heard, and they needed him so he stayed."   
  
"Yes, I'm going to take Eden back." Rico said brushing some blood encrusted hair away from the kid's eyes. The young man closed his eyes. "Rest." Rico said.   
  
"He's gone." Doc said. Both stood and took in the scene around them. Rico turned to him.   
  
"We need to get out of here." Rico said. He began to help Doc get the wounded ready to move while the remaining fighters took the lull to get ready for the move. Rico had Lindsey radio out for the move and made sure they all made a one mile radial perimeter around the Eden HQ. Things were going to get tricky.   
JEAN RAZAK   
  
Captain O'Hare looked back at Carmen over the link. He shook his head disappointedly. "It'll take two hours, but yeah, we can do it."   
  
"Good, there's only one city you have to worry about, just get the people out of there. But watch out," Carmen said smiling.   
  
"I know, bugs are on the move, about a day away?" He asked.   
  
"Yeah, so you should have time to get everyone off safely."   
  
"And if they don't want to come?"   
  
"They don't have a choice." Carmen said looking into Michael.   
  
"Understood." He took a breath then held up a data pad. "You get this?" He asked pointing at it.   
  
"Yes, I got it." She replied quietly.   
  
"So you know what this means?"   
  
"Yes," She said pulling out a small disc and inserting it into the transfer port. She activated the port and began the information transfer which Michael quickly received. "New rendezvous point, with two additional task forces."   
  
Michael read the information. "I can't believe this is happening."   
  
"Believe it Captain," Carmen said as Michael continued to scan the info. She looked at a clock on the corner of the screen. "You have your orders Captain, best get to them."   
  
"Of course sir," He said without looking up. Carmen cut the feed and lowered her head. The news was that bad. SICON reported massive insurgences of bugs galaxy wide, and the mobilization of troops were made too slow. Retaking Eden and Klendathu by force are now options that the severely weakened Mobile Infantry cannot consider. There were simply too many planets, yet too little trained veterans to take care of these planets. She had to act fast if she were to even extract the soldiers on Eden. The bugs were constantly replenishing their fallen with more of themselves, and MI could ill afford to do so. She signaled her aides to send down a signal for immediate evacuation soon after the defense perimeter is abandoned. All is lost if the defense line breaks.   
"For everything there is a   
season,  
A time for every purpose  
under heaven:   
  
A time to be born,   
and a time to die;   
A time to plant,   
and a time to pluck up what is planted;   
A time to kill,   
and a time to heal;   
A time to break down,   
and a time to build up;   
A time to weep,   
and a time to laugh;  
A time to mourn,   
and a time to dance;   
A time to cast away stones,  
and a time to gather stones together;  
A time to embrace,   
and a time to refrain from embracing;  
A time to seek,   
and a time to lose;   
A time to keep,   
and a time to cast away;  
A time to rend,   
and a time to sew;   
A time to keep silence,  
and a time to speak;   
A time to love,   
and a time to hate;   
A time for war,   
and a time for peace."  
  
  
Ecclesiastes 3:01-08 


	9. Episode 9: Knee Deep

"The Eden Campaign"  
Episode 209 – Knee Deep  
Day 7 SBW

"The retrieval of the forces and non-military forces on Eden was only supposed to take a few hours within the initial drop of the Roughnecks. But a plan never survives contact with the enemy. We knew that, but you can't blame anyone for hoping."

- Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_

EDEN

Lieutenant Lindsey sat in the bunker fashioned out of three salvaged hulks that had once been someone's cars. Lieutenant Ryan was next to her, sipping on a hot cup of coffee. It was early morning, neither knew the exact time, and neither cared, they were both exhausted. Murphy had bought it the day the Roughnecks arrived, no one knew until later. Bugs had rushed his primary position and broken through the fence using the dead as a way over.

Both had lost the Majority of their squads, so with six fresh squads on the planet, their role was somewhat limited. Major Rico had told them to rest, but that was hard to do when your entire squad was dead you were alive. At least Murphy had the satisfaction of dying.

Weapons fire and arachnid screeching could be heard in the not far off distance. The front lines were shrinking by the hour. Every day, they lost close to a mile, Lindsey was losing hope. 

Ryan offered her a drink but she refused. She hadn't eaten in days, her nerves couldn't take it. They had tried to evacuate two days before, but they watched as over half of the transports burned up due to plasma fire. They tried to get to the survivors, but they couldn't. Lindsey could hear their screams for help still, begging for someone to get to them. The Major had taken his entire squad out when it had happened. A dozen voices crying out in the night. When the silence had fallen upon the comm., the others were just forced to listen and wait. They waited for three hours before the Roughnecks returned, and then it was only with dog tags.

"It's still bugging you, isn't it?" Ryan asked quietly. He sat up trying to stretch his stiff muscles. They had been in the makeshift bunker for a day now, they were nothing more than a check point for troops moving out, and wounded coming back, a communications depot of sorts for runners.

"We could have saved them," she said pulling a blanket around her. The batteries had died for the power suits, so they were down to the minimal suits, basic armor, gloves, little else, and the Eden nights in New Buenos Ares had a habit of becoming rather cold.

"Can't keep worrying about it. What's happened has happened. We move on, and continue to fight." Ryan said. Several troopers ran by towards the front lines. Ryan pulled himself up to look out onto the streets to see two silhouettes darting between debris.

"Something's up," Lindsey said. There hadn't been any contact with people in hours, no movement. If it weren't for the constant tat-tat-tat of the automatic chain guns, things would almost seem peaceful.

"Think so?" Ryan asked with a grin as he sat back down. "There is a war going on out there, you know that right?"

"Of course I do you ass." Lindsey laughed. Things had been on edge, the silence broken only by the sounds of war was an uneasy setting. More stomping could be heard outside as two more ran towards the front lines, Ryan looked out at them.

"You know, I think you're right." Ryan said squinting in the darkness.

"Right about what?" Lindsey asked putting the blanket aside and kneeling next to Ryan. 

"Something is up, the runners are unarmed." Ryan turned back to her. "Something is wrong."

Rico sent his had through a crumbling brick wall. His anger was reaching a fever pitch. He'd just received word from two runners that Williams had okayed a civilian transport to return to the outskirts to retrieve personal possessions for several citizens and civilians. And now, contact had been lost with the group and they needed a squad out there to check up on them and get them back within the perimeter.

"Now what did that wall to do you?" Zim asked as he entered the collapsing ruins off an office building. This was where Rico had decided to make his frontline headquarters.

The two runners stood back in an uneasy silence. An outburst like that had caught them totally unaware.

"I can't believe he allowed it!" Rico screamed. He turned to the runners. "You tell Williams I'll clean up his mess, but we're going to have a long talk when this is done."

"There's a problem with that." Zim said in a low voice.

"What?" Rico asked, his anger beginning to sear through.

"Two more just arrived. The group is being pushed out farther into the wastelands."

"How far?" Rico asked.

"Dunno, but Goss is monitoring them." Zim motioned outside.

Rico turned back to the two runners. "Tell Williams we'll get them back." Rico and Zim exited and walked down the debris filled street to where Goss had set up a mobile radar set. The screen cast a subtle blue glow on all their faces. Max along with Kepler and Murphy were catching up on some much needed sack time. Muniz and L'Ioo were standing behind Goss pointing out signal beeps on the screen. Rico stepped up behind them. 

"Report," he said softly. Sparse gunfire echoed down the cement valley, reminding everyone constantly that there was a monster trying to kill them.

"Well, I used the transceiver to key into the transponder frequency on the truck and I'm tracking them." Goss sighed. "But they're moving out, and we don't know why." 

"No sat up-link?" Zim asked.

"No, most have been damaged or taken out from plasma fire, and the _Razak_ can't get close enough to allow for a good picture that far from the city."

"Which is how far?" Rico kneeled next to the equipment and look the picture over.

"Twenty kilometers and rising." L'Ioo said.

"Saddle up then boys and girls, looks like we've got a trip ahead of us." Rico quickly shifted into battle mode. "Zim, procure a truck, Muniz wake these three, Goss, locate Doc, see if he can leave the wounded, L'Ioo, locate ammo, we move in fifteen." Everyone quickly sprang into action. Muniz got the others aroused quickly and informed them of the situation and were all ready to move within minutes. Zim returned in the cab of a personnel carrier as L'Ioo arrived with a hand truck stacked with ammo boxes.

Gossard returned shortly after empty handed. "He says that they need him hear, there's only one other med around."

"Copy," He turned to the others. "Murphy, you stay behind to assist Doc and keep us posted on the activity." 

"That leaves us two short Major," Max said after a moment.

"I know, I'll be back." Rico left the group and started down the street into the interior of the city.

"Where's he going?" Kepler asked.

"Seen him use the bathroom any?" Max replied sarcastically.

"All right, all right, enough chatter," Zim chimed in. "Everyone check your gear and prepare for departure."

Rico arrived at the makeshift bunker and found Lindsey and Ryan both in standard atmosphere Power Suits standing around keeping their watch. They recognized him quickly and saluted.

"At ease," he said walking up to them.

"To what do we owe the pleasure Major?" Ryan asked while Lindsey sat idly against the makeshift bunker.

"I'm short two bodies, you two game?" Rico knew that the answer was easy; he didn't really have to ask. Having lost the majority of their squads with the survivors wounded, they were bored and anxious, Rico knew the feeling all too well.

They both looked up and grinned.

JEAN RAZAK

Admiral Ibanez sat stiffly as the klaxons blared around her head. Her white uniform moved up and down with her quickened breath. The displays were showing an incoming unidentified jump silhouette that looked like it was going to emerge with weapons firing. The last thing Carmen wanted was more bugs on that planet; things were hard enough as they were. The _Threshold_ and the _Harry Lee_ were on the opposite side of the planet, trying to evacuate the civilians but their squads were bogged with heavy bug numbers. And it was looking like more were about to arrive. 

Carmen turned to her sensors officer, "Do we have an I.D. yet?"

"Negative," the crewman replied; sweat was beginning to bead on his head. "Coordinates are being fed through now though, sir. We have its exact point of drop located."

"Relay coordinates to the gunnery officers; I want all available weapons positioned and ready to fire as soon as it's identified." Carmen turned to her communications officer. "Transmit coordinates to the _Ticonderoga_; tell them to take position-"

"Admiral!" Carmen turned about at the scream of the helmsman to see a vortex dancing across the forward view.

"All guns, prepare to open fire!" Carmen yelled. People began to scurry about the bridge, preparing for the imminent battle when the comm. officer spoke up. 

"We're getting a transmission sir!" he yelled above the commotion. He held the ear piece tightly to his head, paying close attention and scratching down notes. "It's Tophetti!"

Carmen let out a sigh and sunk into her chair. The bridge crew cheered, both of elation for the reinforcements and relief for not having to go into battle. Carmen gave the orders for the stand down as the view screen began to blink. She punched it up and the friendly face of T'Phai greeted her.

"T'Phai, you gave us a start!" she said smiling and wiping the sweat from her beaded brow.

"My apologies Admiral," he said calmly. "Our drive systems are not as sophisticated as yours, so communications are somewhat... difficult. We are sorry for the alarm."

"Apology accepted..." Carmen took a breath for a moment, trying to recall T'Phai's formal title. "What should I refer to you as anyway?"

"With the reemergence of hostilities, I have resumed my rank as Colonel of the Tophetti Military Forces. We are here to assist you in any way necessary."

"That's great to hear Colonel. Would you perhaps like to come aboard the _Jean Razak_, as our guest? We have a few plans on the table for evacuation; perhaps you could provide some useful input."

"Perhaps Admiral," T'Phai said. "I will depart shortly."

"Thank you T'Phai." Carmen said.

"Anything for a Roughneck," T'Phai said, cutting the link. Carmen sat in silent thought for a moment before issuing orders for preparations for the Colonel's arrival.

"I want those people off that damned planet." She said leaving the bridge.

EDEN

"WHOOOOOO!" Max yelled as the truck went air born and landed on a group of warriors. Their green blood splashed forward and onto the windshield. He flipped the wipers on and the green ooze smeared across the glass. Rico was bouncing uneasily next to him.

"Having fun sergeant?" Rico asked grabbing the apparatus designated in the field manual as the OSH. 

"Sure thing Major. Just enjoying some of my hard spent taxes." He yelled over the whining engine. The fields in front of them looked like a vid clip of the First World War on Earth. Broken lands, burning bodies, but the alien carcasses brought something else to it.

Behind him, Rico could see into the holding cabin and the others were all bouncing around uneasily. They were still about fifteen minutes from the last known position of the civilians. It was good to have his squad back together. It was almost like having the family back on some sort of twisted vacation.

Gossard spoke up from the back. "What's he trying to do to us?"

"What's wrong," Max yelled back. "To hard for you old geezers?"

"I'll show you a hard!" Gossard yelled stepping up. Max veered to the right, sending the Warrant Officer to the opposite side against L'Ioo.

"Ease up sergeant!" Zim ordered from the back. Gossard eased himself up and back into his seat.

"Ease it up your-" Max began.

"I wouldn't finish that!" Rico said looking out the window. The sun was up now. The bugs weren't too heavy in the area, but they were still there. Not seeing them only made Rico more nervous.

"Kepler," Rico shouted back. "Any contact with the transport?"

"Negative sir," Kepler said crawling up to Rico, hunched over in the back of the truck. "But from what I can tell from the info from Murph, they're in the middle of the city somewhere. It's not too big,"

"So we should be able to find them." Rico finished. "Back to your seat Private. Rough roads ahead."

Kepler returned to his seat next to Muniz who was gently rocking back and forth. "Major, I have to pee!" He yelled.

"Stow it private!" Rico yelled back.

"Should have thought of that before we left," Zim said with a smirk. "Or you could just go in your suit."

"Yeah, we used to do it all the time," Gossard said smiling. "Especially on cold planets. It'll warm you up right quick."

"You're lying!" he said biting his lip. He looked at Ryan and Lindsey who only shrugged with smiles across their faces.

"Never ask a lady such things," Lindsey said leaning back. Max suddenly hit another bump, or bug, and the truck swerved across the road.

"Slow it down or I'm going in the suit!"

"Humans are very peculiar about the way they treat their fellow comrades." L'Ioo mentioned. She had remained mostly quiet on the trip out into the Bad Lands.

"It's called hazing," Rico called back. "We all go through it, part of an initiation into the group."

"Is this how your politicians are treated as well?" She asked. 

Gossard broke into laughter. "No, but maybe they should, huh?"

Max slammed on the breaks and the truck squealed to a halt. They were inside the village. It was mostly intact as most of the bugs had bypassed it for the larger city. It was bigger quarry. 

"Last stop boys and girls," Max said pressing the button to open the back hatch. "We aboard Brutto Transportation hope you did not enjoy your ride and hope that we will not have the displeasure of seeing you again."

"That's it," Rico said. "Muniz, you drive back."

"Do I have to?" He asked stepping down from the truck and peering around the corner. 

"Yes, now hurry up and go, we have to move." Rico said pulling himself on top of the hood as to get a good view of the surrounding area. It was still a viable location for life. But because of the lack of destruction, it provided adequate cover for the enemy. Zim hopped up to join Rico.

"What do you think?" Zim asked.

"To quiet." He replied flipping down his snoopers. The area looked clean. "It has to be crawling." 

"Agreed." Zim said. He looked behind them, into the waste land they had just crossed. "Crossing hell for what?"

"Eden has fallen. Ironic isn't it?" Rico said.

"What's that?"

"That in our peace and benevolence towards ourselves, we have become impotent to the galaxy around us. And now, we face the wrath of God, and the garden has fallen."

Zim stood silent a moment. "Jean once told me, 'Out there, you only have one life and it's what you choose to do with that one life that makes the heroes. I choose to lead men and women into battle, knowing they're going to die, but I do it for my home, so that it may never fall.'"

"Brutto and Kepler stay behind with the truck Charlie." Rico said to his LT. He flipped his snoopers back up.

"Copy, sir." Zim said. He jumped down and quickly had the squad ready to move. Jonnie stepped down shortly after and grabbed his Morita. He found Kepler sitting in the door to the back of the truck. His eyes were filled with anxious boredom. 

"Something wrong Private?" Rico asked.

"I've been afraid of fighting Major," Kepler said looking up. "I've been terrified since I joined the Roughnecks, but I tried. And now, that I want to fight, I can't." He rubbed his leg that had been broken. "I feel like I am only slowing the squad down."

Rico looked at him a moment. He felt sorry for him; he knew what it was like to question your place in the scheme of it all, and how it takes very little to get you motivated to actually take care of what needs to be taken care of. His sympathy was how the young man was still trying to try. His physical condition was prime with the exception of his leg, and it was frustrating to him.

"Just bite your tongue Private." Rico said patting him on the shoulder. "All things come in their time."

Rico turned to the others who were still ready to move out. "All right apes. Two teams; Zim, you take Muniz, L'Ioo, and Lindsey. Gossard and Ryan, you're with me. If you find anything, radio back. Kepler, you radio us coordinates every fifteen minutes. We're moving in a pincer formation. Fan out and rendezvous in the center, get me?"

"Yes, sir!" 

"Move out." Each trooper followed their respective leader and they marched into the city. Rico and his group broke and went north. The city was deserted, the images before him reminded him of Buenos Ares ten years before. More irony for thought. He took his troopers up a side street that led to an alley way. The way was dark and long, perfect place for an ambush. But the bugs weren't that smart. He moved in cautiously, his weapon at the read. Ryan and Gossard scanned the building tops intently as they moved forward. The sun was shinning in a blue sky with a few wisps of gray smoke snaking into the above.

Kepler's voice suddenly broke in. "Major Rico!"

"Go ahead Kepler." Rico responded.

"Sir, Murphy has them pinpointed, and they're surrounded. Four blocks west, two blocks north sir, and its crawling big time."

"Copy Kepler, relay to the Lieutenant. Have Brutto ready the truck." Rico cut the link. "Let's move apes."

JEAN RAZAK 

Carmen stood before the airlock, waiting for the hiss of pressurized air. It had been a tense few hours since the arrival of the Tophetti ships. Both governments were in a frenzy. SICON ordered the _Razak_ to Tesca Nemerosa, where he would meet up with the seventh task force, and from there, they would receive further orders. But she had no clue as to what was going on with the Tophetti, or why exactly they had even been ordered here. But any help was good help.

The hiss came and the doors slid apart. T'Phai emerged, ducking under the low opening and offered a salute. Carmen returned it with a smile. He was in full Tophetti military powered suit, his rank shown with several small blocks about his left breast. His suit appeared to be more ornate as well in comparison to the additional members of his entourage.

"It's nice to see you Colonel." Carmen said.

"As you Admiral." T'Phai stepped aside to allow the other two to step forward. "This is my son, Lieutenant T'Phal; he is in command of the fighter wing aboard the _M'Tre_."

"Lieutenant," Carmen said with a nod.

"Admiral," T'Phal offered up a salute. "I have heard much of your exploits." His voice was slightly deeper than T'Phai's, but the accent was the same.

"And this is Major H'Scrii; he is in command of the Tophetti ground troops." The Major stepped forward and gave a short bow.

"A pleasure to meet one with your prestige Admiral." He said politely.

"I am thankful for your gracious introductions," Carmen said. "Now if you'll follow me gentlemen, I'll lead you to the briefing room where we've already begun some plans for retrieval of the forces." 

They walked down the corridors quickly, Carmen giving a brief tour of the ship on their way.

"Quite different from the _Valley Forge_, is it not?" T'Phai asked as they turned another corner.

"Yes and no." Carmen replied. "Many systems are the same at a basic level with just more sophisticated and up-to-date technology. Additionally there are several decks designed to house of Tophetti crews in conditions more like their home."

"What is your Tophetti crew compliment?" T'Phal asked.

"Right now it's about a hundred." Carmen said after a moment of thinking.

"And your human compliment?" He asked a few seconds later.

"I think 346." She replied. 

"So you know your exact human compliment and not the Tophetti one?" Everyone paused and T'Phai turned to his son. 

"T'Phal!" he hissed. You will watch your tongue! 

Carmen stood in place for a moment. She turned to face T'Phal and smiled. "Our Tophetti crew has gone through some changes since I was assigned. Additionally, I was only assigned less than three weeks ago, my time to familiarize myself with the entire crew, especially one that has changed twice since my arrival is most difficult."

She stepped up to T'Phal and looked him straight in the eye. "_Acat'phala iduio_!" she whispered. He bowed his head after being properly reprimanded by a superior. 

"My apologies Admiral," he whispered. "No disrespect was meant."

"Apology accepted." Carmen smiled. "Now, if you gentlemen will follow me, we'll begin our briefing." Carmen spun back around and continued to the briefing room with no additional incident.

The room was spacious with a three dimensional display in the center to display planetary situations and a flat screen map with longitude and latitude on the far wall. A small table was provided on the inner wall with three large windows opposite allowing for an external view. The four sat themselves and two more aides entered with folders and sat themselves on either side of Carmen.

She let her Tophetti guests look over the information provided. One by one they looked up to signal their attentiveness.

"SICON has been caught unawares. We were sent here to evacuate personnel if we found the situation too hot. We have found it too hot. Unfortunately, we have been able to do little but continue to feed the fire." She pulled up a display in the center with current troop deployments. "This is our current situation. On the opposite side of the planet, the Threshold and Harry Lee trying to get some of the civilians to safety, with little success. After four days here, we've yet to come up with an effective retrieval plan."

"What is the status of the troops and civilians on the ground?" H'Scrii asked sitting up. He looked over the map and looked back at Carmen.

"Supplies are quickly becoming exhausted." Carmen looked down for a moment then returned her eyes to the Tophetti. "We're in full retreat all over the planet, and its hard to get close enough to the planet without sustaining heavy damage to the ships."

"Things have changed since the war." T'Phai observed quietly. He passed his gaze to the projection. "What of Major Rico and the Roughnecks?"

"Right in the thick of it." Carmen responded.

"Earlier this evening," One of the aides stated. "We traced the Roughnecks setting out for a town little over twenty kilometers west of the main city."

"We've been considering the use of nukes in several areas to hopefully halt the bug armies long enough to get some ships in there to get people out."

The three Tophetti quickly began talking among themselves and T'Phal exited. H'Scrii finished his conversation with T'Phai then stood.

"Thank you for having us aboard your ship Admiral," He bowed slightly. "May we meet again on the other side of war." He left quickly.

"T'Phai?" Carmen asked a bit shocked at the sudden action.

"The Tophetti government too has been caught unawares. But before we left we were out fitted with what you humans call 'crusher bombs'." T'Phai stood and walked to the hologram projector. "They were designed to accompany Terran nukes. The crusher bombs hold the enemy in place while the nukes destroy them."

"The bugs to often scatter at the first sign of incoming fighters." Carmen added in. she motioned for the two aides to exit.

"Exactly, so we hold them down and the nukes can effectively destroy the army and accomplish the desired effect without prolonged nuclear bombardment." T'Phai turned back to her. "You handled T'Phal well."

"I learned a little bit in Officer's School." She said. She stepped to the window and looked down on to the planet. Small yellow balls blossomed and rippled across random sections of the land denoting battles. "Where did they go?"

"To prepare our ship for an operation, should you order it."

Carmen crossed her arms and leaned against the bulkhead, still gazing onto the planet. "I'll give the orders shortly."

T'Phai stood silently for a moment then said: "Wishing to awaken?"

"If it were that easy." She closed her eyes. "I still have nightmares. I can see the battles, watching the people die. I heard screams from the back of the retrieval ships... I still hear those screams."

"As do I." T'Phai joined her at the window with his hands behind his back. "War is a detrimental thing to the psyche of any sentient being. We all deal with it our own ways." He trailed off. The comm. on the wall chimed and Carmen answered it.

"Admiral," the voice returned. "The _Threshold_ is going down."

"I'm on my way." She said releasing the button. She turned to T'Phai, "You can accompany me if you wish. Or you can return to your ship." 

"It would be most dangerous to try and return right now. I will follow you."

THRESHOLD

Captain O'Hare was sitting in the command chair as the ship fell apart around him. His helmsman was dead, fires were burning all over the place, he knew he was about to die. He pulled up the ship wide microphone.

"All hands abandon ship!" He dropped it and made his way through the debris to the helm. The dead body was easy to move in the failing artificial gravity. He sat down in the seat and began to plot the course for the planet below. If he had to go, he was taking some of them with him.

Blue plumes continued to lance across his plain of view. Another struck the front of the ship and caused it to pitch upwards. Michael could feel the controls straining in his hands as the internal gyro's tried to get the ship steady. Another blast hit the ship and he felt his arm break from the strength of it against the controls. He slumped over the column and breathed heavily. He looked up to see the front of his ship begin glow red from the intense friction of the planet's atmosphere.

Pieces of the ship could be heard peeling away from the chassis of the ship. Michael pushed himself into the seat and closed his eyes. He was praying that the crew would get away. This was his fault. They would not die because of him, but the damned arachnids were going to pay for his folly.

JEAN RAZAK

Carmen watched as the _Threshold_ burned in the atmosphere and detonated across the planet's surface. She whinced then turned.

"Have the _Ticonderoga_ retrieve the survivors." T'Phai stepped up. 

"We shall have our forces in a day." He said putting his hand on her shoulder. She took it and nodded. He left and she fell into her seat. She looked up as the explosion rippled across the lands. They would pay for this.

EDEN

Rico peered out from the alley way into the center of the town. There was one building in the middle, its walls crumbling and smoke rising from around it. The arachnids were all mulling about it, their bone chilling screeches piercing the otherwise serine location. The sun was setting in the west and the orange sky gave the illusion of a burning horizon, though he was sure it was. There was an over turned transportation truck sticking out of the side of the building.

He motioned for Gossard to move across the street to the opposite alley. He moved quickly and was in place with his rifle ready to fire. Murphy quickly followed and Rico went last, sprinting the whole way. He kneeled behind Gossard and held down the comm. button on his ear. 

"Kepler," Rico said and waited. The private's voice came back.

"Go ahead sir."

"Where are the others?" Rico asked.

"From what I can tell sir, they're on the other side of the building." The line cut with a brief blast of static.

Rico looked around then out into the street where the bugs were still circling the building. "Copy private." Rico turned back to Gossard and Ryan. Both were ready and willing to move, he could see it in their eyes. He opened a link to Zim. 

"Lieutenant?" He asked.

"Copy sir." Zim replied.

"Location?"

"Opposite side of you sir, near as we can tell."

"Copy, ready to move into the building on my mark." Rico said. He pulled out a small flare pistol and aimed it into the sky. Suddenly weapons fire began to echo down the streets. "Lieutenant!"

"Not us sir," Zim replied. Rico looked out and saw the bugs advancing on the building. Tracer fire could be seen arching from the building. Rico swore under his breath and pulled the trigger on the flare gun. The darkening sky lit up and Rico led his two squad mates into the thick of it. They quickly were able to cut a hole into the bugs and make their way to the building. Gossard ran past him and used his shoulder as a battering ram to get through the weakening wall. Ryan and Rico jumped in and quickly turned to lay down cover fire.

A loud explosion ripped through the opposite side of the building and Zim could be heard shouting orders. Gossard kneeled next to Rico and let the rounds fly. He waited a moment before standing and Rico went to the other side of the building. He grabbed L'Ioo's shoulder and motioned her to the other side. She quickly obeyed and tromped through the ruined building. The bugs could be seen coming in from outside of the city from this angle. Rico glared at them, had his eyes been grenades, he would have gladly thrown them into the melee. 

"Lieutenant, you're with me, HOLD THIS BUILDING APES!" Rico shouted. Zim led the way up the stairs at first but Rico jumped past him and into the hallway at the end of the first flight of stairs. "CLEAR!" he shouted.

Zim grabbed him by the arm pit and the two quickly began searching the rooms. They found nothing. Rico quickly turned around and was beginning up the next flight. This time, Zim went past him and the two searched the rooms, nothing but empty office space. The process was repeated for three more floors before they heard something promising. On the sixth floor, they could hear screaming and when Rico peered around the corner, he found twelve civilians sitting together. Most were just shaking in the fetal position. Rico motioned to Zim and the stepped out.

"I'm Major Rico of the Roughnecks; we're here to get you people out." They looked up with elation. A few with Moritas stepped out from the rooms at the sound of new voices. One walked up to them.

"My name's Larry Minovich, thanks for coming to get us." He said offering out his hand.

"No thanks needed, get your people ready to move." Rico pushed past him and started pulling people onto their feet. He pressed his comm. 

"Kepler,"

"Copy sir." Came the reply.

"You and Brutto get here ASAP, there's more from the mountains coming in." Rico released his comm. and looked at Zim. "We need down quickly."

"Then go straight down," Zim smiled. "A few grenades should get us a way."

"Get these people away." Rico pulled out two grenades and tossed one into a room. The people cowered close to the opposite wall as the explosion tore through the first three floors. Rico stepped in with the other grenade and threw it as hard as he could straight down. It went through the floor then a yellow fireball shot upwards. Jonnie shielded himself for a moment then looked down after the heat cleared. Gossard was looking up into the gaping hole. Rico waved. He attached a lizard line to a more secure wall and jumped down. He fired his jets just before hitting the ground.

"Status?" He asked turning to Muniz.

"We've got them for the moment sir." Muniz said. "But I don't know how long that's going to last, they keep coming."

"Don't worry, we're out of here." Rico turned back to the hole and shouted upwards. "Start them down Lieutenant."

It only took a few minutes before everyone was on the ground and they were ready to leave. The squad moved to where Rico's team had come through. The bugs were continuing to push forward, but their steady fire kept them at bay.

"Where is that dirty son-of-a-" Gossard began but was cut off by headlights slamming through the warriors. It fishtailed to where the rear of the truck was facing them. The hatch dropped and Kepler jumped out and began firing into the mass of bugs. L'Ioo and Muniz moved quickly to begin loading the people in while Goss and Zim took forward defense and Ryan and Lindsey took rear. Rico joined them to continue keeping the bugs at bay in the back of the building.

"Nothing like being out numbered, eh Major?" Lindsey asked spraying out a throng of rounds. 

"Indeed." Rico said. A bug quickly rushed the group, absorbing the brunt of the fire, allowing for others to quickly fill in and began to push forward. One grabbed Ryan by the arm and pulled him in.

His screams pierced the air above the rest of the chaos. Rico and Lindsey began to push harder against them. One was able to grab Rico and begin to pull him back until a grenade from Lindsey blew the bug's upper jaw off, dropping him to the ground. She stepped up along with Zim to pull him back away from danger, his arm was bleeding heavily.

"Up-and-at-em Major!" Zim said hefting him up. Rico looked up to see Lindsey firing rapidly into the mass. Ryan somehow managed to fall out, his armor cracked and torn and cuts and bruises all over his body.

"You two pull back!" Rico shouted firing past them. The bugs kept coming. 

"Major!" Max shouted through the comm., "We have got to leave!"

Ryan turned back and smiled. "We'll cover you Major!"

Zim was pulling Rico back now towards the truck. "That's a negative Lieutenant!"

"We're going to go like troopers sir!" Lindsey shouted. "That's how it should be!" She and Ryan continued to push forward.

"Dammit troopers!" He shouted. Zim tossed him into the back of the truck and ordered the others in. As soon as they were in, he banged the side of the truck and the tires squealed. They parted the bugs like a hot knife through butter. Rico sat up and could see Lindsey and Ryan before the sea came back together.

Zim made his way between the civilians to Rico. Gossard had removed his gauntlet and was wrapping his arm. Rico just held an intent gaze into nothing.

"It was their choice Major." Zim said quietly.

"I would've made the same choice." He said. He looked up at Zim. "What choice do you have when you watch your entire squad die in a matter of hours? Jean wasn't the same after it happened to him, we all knew it, you could see it in his eyes when he looked at each of us." He leaned his head against the back of the truck.

"We're going to get off of this planet." Rico said quietly. Zim sat on the bench. The rest of the trip back to the city was silent.

11 returned and saw under the  
sun that—

The race _is_ not to the swift,  
Nor the battle to the strong,  
Nor bread to the wise,  
Nor riches to men of  
understanding,  
Nor favor to men of skill;  
But time and chance  
happen to them all.  
12 For man also does not know  
his time:  
Like fish taken in a cruel net,  
Like birds caught in a snare,  
So the sons of men _are_ snared  
in an evil time,  
When it falls suddenly upon  
them.

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12


	10. Episode 10: Dunkirk

"The Eden Campaign"  
Episode 210 – Dunkirk  
Day 8 (8 SBW)  
  
"Evacuation is never an easy prospect, especially when you want to evacuate three thousand people. It's a shame we couldn't."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_   
  
  
EDEN   
  
Gossard pulled a kid up off the ground and tossed him to Doc who in turn ran down the darkened streets. The air smelled of death and destruction. The streets were littered with the bodies of the dead. The bugs had broken through the lines a few hours before and wreaked havoc, killing over five thousand civilians in a refugee camp. The bastards had dug right under them. Gossard, Doc and Murphy were trying to find survivors as Rico and the others tried to get as many of the remaining troops together and the civilians to safety.   
  
The sky was dark with a burning red on the horizon. The bodies were strewn about as the few brave who survived the massacre tried to search through the remains for friends and family and began to organize them for burning. The funeral pyre would surly reach into the sky. Gossard felt that such pyres were archaic, but their message could still be forceful in the modern society.   
  
He didn't know much about how the bugs worked with communicating with the brains, only that they could see through them at times. A giant pyre would send the desired message: we're still alive, we're still here.   
  
He continued to look for more survivors, knowing that the chance was slim. Hope was what he decided was defining character of his people. And hope was something that was slowly disappearing from the planet of paradise.   
  
  
JEAN RAZAK   
  
Carmen sat on the bridge patiently waiting. She had given the order to both groups to begin preparations for a joint operation to retrieve as many people as possible. The Wolves had been dropped in as fresh reinforcements and messengers. They planned to begin at 0700, still two hours away.   
  
The screen view port in front of her suddenly lit up as the _Razak_ crossed the terminator into day. That meant that on the planet, the sun had risen in New Buenos Ares. She could only imagine the carnage. The Wolves had been dropped with more communications equipment. Three hours before, they'd been lucky enough to watch the carnage and massacre via Higgins.   
  
Several planes flew by the bridge and banked sharply before entering the atmosphere. The red streaks arched across the planet then faded as they crossed the upper layers. One of the last flybys needed to get the final layout of the bug forces, that way they could drop the loads and fly in the transports.   
  
She'd been able to speak with Rico for a few minutes and laid down the plans for him. At 0900, Tophetti bombers would commence in a series of bombing runs meant to hold the bugs in place followed by ten minutes of tactical nuking in the designated areas to allow for the armada of transports to land and evacuations proceed. If all went according to plan, the people should be off the planet in an hour after execution.   
  
She looked out at the green planet, it was truly beautiful, a paradise indeed. Paradise had fallen and she'd be damned if everyone there fell with it.   
  
  
EDEN   
  
Rico led L'Ioo and Zim down the debris strewn street at a full run. They were running out of time. Little more than an hour until the operation began, and they still needed to secure the perimeter too keep the bugs from getting to the transports when they landed. Rico had been involved in to many operations to start underestimating the resourcefulness and cunning of the brains when it came to an imminent victory. The three of them stopped at a corner and Rico signaled for L'Ioo to move on to the opposite side.   
  
"I'm getting to old for this." Zim said as L'Ioo reached the other side.   
  
"Never too old, just tired." Rico said as Zim took off. He quickly followed then the three moved on, repeating the exercise until they reached their objective: a break in their fence perimeter. Debris from the fire fight a few hours before and left a gaping hole in their defensive line. L'Ioo kneeled and quickly got to work on making a makeshift patch that would hopefully last until they were off the planet. Zim and Rico both took up guard position on either side of the Tophetti.   
  
Rico noticed how her hands twisted and weaved through the fibers and cables connecting and cutting and then reconnecting. It reminded him of Gossard.   
  
"How long private?" Zim asked.   
  
"Five minutes, sir," She said twisting two wires together. Sparks flew from the hole in the metal fence indicating that power was running through it again. "Now all I have to do is string some fibers across to patch the hole."   
  
"Be quick private." Rico ordered. The sun was rising into the sky, the smoke from all over the city casting a dull silhouette upon the ground. Rico wanted to leave. Not just the area, but the planet. He'd watch it go from a wonderful, lush planet, straight into a living hell. He tried to shake off the thoughts and focus on the moment at hand. He turned and saw Zim at his back, scanning the outer perimeter.   
  
"Hey Zim," He said after a moment. "Mind if I ask you a question?"   
  
"You're the major." He said quickly in his usual 'all business' tone as some of the squad called it.   
  
"As one soldier to another." Rico answered back. Zim looked at him a moment then returned to his guard duty.   
  
"Shoot." He said.   
  
"Whose side were you on during the Two Months War?" Zim stiffened for a moment then relaxed and turned.   
  
"The right side."   
  
Rico swallowed at the chill in Zim's voice. The war, which was officially called a 'policing action', had encompassed the entire of Earth. Rico had been the good soldier during the time, fighting in London and New York with several other squads. He knew that a few of SICON's elite had defected to protest the Governments actions; he knew that some of them were allowed back in after 'reprimand'.   
  
"Why do ask?" Zim questioned checking on L'Ioo. "How much longer?"   
  
"Only another minute or so." She replied connecting more strands together.   
  
"Trying to ease the tension." Rico said. "I knew a few who defected, I had to fight them, bring them in. Most came in in bags. Never got much of a chance to talk to anyone about it, I was shipped out for the culling of the arachnids a week after its end."   
  
"I was behind a desk most of the time." Zim said. Suddenly L'Ioo stood.   
  
"I am done."   
  
"Good," Rico said looking around. "Let's move out." The patch over the hole looked somewhat like a glistening titanium spider web. They ran back to the base and quickly rejoined the squad. Gossard had returned from the camp and was sitting on a bench with a camera in his face and Higgins on the other side. Zim and L'Ioo dispersed their own ways and Rico slowly approached a pale Gossard. His armor was covered in blood and stained with mud. He looked like he'd been through Hell.   
  
"How many were you able to save Warrant Officer Gossard?" Higgins asked settling in front of Gossard at a comfortable distance. Higgins had managed somehow to keep his youthful appearance and was little changed by time, as Rico knew he was.   
  
"I think the question isn't: how many did I save, but how many didn't I save." Goss looked up with tears rolling down his cheeks.   
  
"Could you please elaborate?" Higgins asked with a soothing, soft tone.   
  
Gossard wiped his nose. "Any civilian, any non combatant lost to the enemy, is too many." He took a breath. "I was able to pull three from the debris. There may have been more, but because the battle lasted for so long, many died from wounds."   
  
"How long was it before you gave up trying to look?"   
  
"I didn't give up." Gossard whispered. "We pulled the last of the bodies out, making everyone accounted for. A lot of identification has to take place through DNA alone. And it doesn't look like we'll even have time for that. So many people will never have the solace of knowing what happened to their loved ones."   
  
Higgins cut the camera off and sat next to his old friend and put his arm around him. Rico came up and Higgins quickly stood back up and saluted.   
  
"As you were paper boy." Rico said. He put his hand on Gossard's shoulder. "It'll be okay."   
  
"So many Jonnie," He said. "So many, so many children." He turned to Higgins. "So how you doing paper boy?"   
  
"Pretty good all things considered," Higgins said. "I dropped with the Wolves earlier tonight. They're a good squad. The action here is more intense than I ever remember."   
  
"Fighting for your life and home every day wasn't intense enough for you Hig?" Rico asked. "Sitting behind that anchor's desk has made you soft."   
  
"It's not that," Higgins said. "If anything, I'm more used to the fighting, I was actually hardened by it. That's why I lost the first four of my wives –"   
  
"Four?" Gossard interrupted.   
  
Rico looked at him and dipped his head to Higgins' eye level. "You've had four wives?"   
  
"Five, actually," He said holding up his hand and taking off his glove, revealing a golden ring on his finger.   
  
"Never thought you had it in you." Gossard said glad to have a change of subject.   
  
"Neither did I," he looked at his feet. "Maybe I don't. After the war, I was a celebrity. I didn't have the luxury of being able to leave the light for a time; I wasn't able to just melt away, especially once the riots started. Then the Two Months War started."   
  
Rico took pity on the kid. He knew the old idiom, about how one never searches for greatness but rather has greatness search for him. He knew exactly the way he felt.   
  
There was an uneasy silence that settled for a few moments. The talk of love in war was something that no one really wanted to discuss. It reminded them of what was behind and what they couldn't possibly have with them on the battlefields. Higgins broke the silence turning to Rico and asking:   
  
"How long until the evacuation?"   
  
"Not soon enough. Last I heard, bombing would commence at 0900."   
  
Higgins chewed it for a second before looking back up at Rico. "One hour, we ready?"   
  
"As ready as we will be." Rico looked him over for a second then realized that there weren't any weapons on him save a pistol on his hip. "Armed light aren't we?"   
  
"I wasn't issued a Morita. The LT thought I should have one, but since I'm technically a civilian, someone at SICON said I was not authorized to handle military weapons." Higgins pulled the pistol out. "I'm guessing they gave this to me for myself?"   
  
Rico snatched the pistol away and handed him his weapon. "You'll need it when it gets hot."   
  
"...Haven't shot one of these in years..." Higgins mumbled.   
  
"No time like the present to get refreshed. They say we learn best under pressure." Rico patted Higgins on the shoulder and left the room.   
  


*****

  
Doc sat on the grass in front of the makeshift bunker that had once been the town hall. His eyes were directed to the clear blue sky, looking for something, but he didn't know what it was exactly. Everything around him was so calm, he could almost forget for a moment that he was in a war. In his mind he could almost hear the laughter of children and the flapping of the SICON flag in a cool breeze. Everything was serene, at peace. But the razor wire encircling the compound brought the starkness of reality back into plain view.   
  
Standing up he shook the thoughts out from his head and picked his Morita up from the grass. The edge of the perimeter was silent for the moment, not a bug in sight, but he knew that they were there, waiting for the right moment. Being a doctor in the military and being active was almost a contradiction of terms. He was supposed to save lives, but he was constantly forced to take them. There was the argument that the bugs didn't really even think, but it didn't matter, it was still a life that he was taking into his hands and destroying. At least they weren't fighting other humans.   
  
A slight breeze blew across the lawn and brought the smell of sweet air to his nose; he closed his eyes and enjoyed it for a brief moment before the flood of death followed the beauty. He opened his eyes and surveyed the burning city; ruin, death, all from life.   
  
The crushing footsteps from behind awoke Doc from his silent thought. There was the flattening of the grass beneath their weight, the crunching of the blades breaking. Doc turned to see Gossard walking towards him. In the distance there came the high pitched whining of jet engines followed by a sonic boom. Both of them looked up and saw two dozen Tophetti fighters streaking across the sky. Gossard was the first to look down.   
  
"I was coming to tell you it'd be happening soon." He looked around a little bit.   
  
"I am so sick of this." Doc said. Both turned and started back inside when explosions began to rip through the city. The wheeled around and saw a mass of bugs racing for them.   
  
"And I'm sick of them; you'd think they'd be satisfied with just pushing us off!" Doc slapped his helmet to make sure it was on tight and raised his gun. The rest of the Roughnecks raced out of the compound and took up positions.   
  
"We really ought to do something about this new alarm system we use. Kaboom doesn't do anything for me." Kepler said running out.   
  
Zim leaned against the wall lazily looking out into the bugs. "Welcome to the real Mobile Infantry son... ain't nothing like it." He pulled his gun up and readied himself.   
  
"Anybody have any hopes of making it off this planet alive?" Max asked kneeling down and taking aim.   
  
"I did!" Muniz muttered crouching beside a wall.   
  
"Only to laugh at you sergeant when Zim kicks your butt." Murphy yelled from across the lawn. He was lying on his stomach next to a kneeling L'Ioo.   
  
"I never hope for anything," Rico said walking to point. "I know." Everyone looked at him a moment. He raised a Morita and pulled the lock back, loading the first round into the chamber. "I know."   
  
Everyone turned back to the bugs and waited for them to arrive at their doorstep. It only took two minutes, but it felt like an eternity. Seconds were hours as they waited. Soon bodies were being seized in the razor wire and being torn to shreds and the Roughnecks opened up. Weapons fire could be heard from the opposite side as the Wolves tore into their fair share of arachnids.   
  
"I really hate uninvited guests!" Gossard grunted releasing a steady stream of hot lead. "They never seem to know when to leave!"   
  
The whine of the engines returned and the planes dropped their loads, exploding on impact and engulfing the bugs with the Tophetti substance. The Roughnecks paused and watched as many of the bugs were crushed under the weight of their own resistance. Quickly more jet engines sounded in the air and Terran planes flew over head dropping small tactical nukes, destroying the horde.   
  
Rico turned to Muniz, "Muniz, you and Kepler go inside and start bringing them out, the transports will be here shortly." Muniz nodded and grabbed Kepler. Both of them rushed in doors as Rico turned back to the glorious carnage. All around bugs were burning, being crushed, and all together dying. He smiled the smile of dark triumph. But he knew it wouldn't last.   
  
The first of the transports broke through the clouds as Muniz led out the first of the civilians. Over the next thirty minutes, the transports came in and loaded with as many civilians as they could hold. For the most part it was quiet, with sparse weapons fire echoing across the fields. It looked as though the bugs had been stopped cold in their tracks, but everyone knew it would only be a matter of time before a fresh wave pushed forward.   
  
They were about halfway finished when the ground began to shake and warriors erupted from the ground, pouring out like a devilish blood from a pure body. The disease had spread finally to their very heart and there was no hope. Quickly gunfire was resonating throughout the area, but the bugs kept coming. No matter how many grenades were launched, they continued to pour out. Rico began screaming for the civilians to get out of the bunker immediately.   
  
  
JEAN RARAK   
  
Carmen watched on her view screen as bugs poured in from all over the compound. Rico and Breckinridge were outnumbered beyond hope. She watched as civilians rushed out, many with weapons and tried to help. Some were quickly cut to pieces, others dragged away, it was a complete disaster. She felt the tears begin to streak down her face, it was hopeless, they weren't going to make it out. She opened up a comm. channel to Rico; she had to get them out of there. If she lost both squads right now, it would do incalculable damage to the rest of the war.   
  
  
EDEN   
  
A burst of static came through on Rico's headset followed by Carmen's voice. "Major, this is Admiral Ibanez, do you copy?"   
  
"Roger _Razak_, I copy!" He said pumping a few rounds into a bug's head.   
  
"Major, you are ordered to get your troopers on the next transport!" She said. Rico paused for a moment and looked around the compound as the intense fighting continued all around. He knew what she was thinking; there was no way to get everyone off the planet, and she couldn't lose two squads.   
  
"We still have over six hundred civilians down here Admiral." Rico said futilely, he knew the answer. He turned to Zim as Carmen came back.   
  
"I know that Major, you have your orders, we'll relay the same to Lieutenant Breckinridge. Next transport!" And the line was cut.   
  
"All right Roughnecks," He shouted biting over to his squad line. "Pull out; we're on the next boat!"   
  
Most looked at him in shock and amazement but it was Zim who came over the line. "You heard the Major Roughnecks, we're on the next boat."   
  
"What about the rest of these people?" Gossard shouted over.   
  
"We can't leave them here!" Doc followed him up. Muniz and Kepler rushed back out of the bunker firing with several civilians following them. Muniz turned around and shook his head. Rico swore under his breath as three transports came into view and two fighters swooped in and dropped bombs on the outer edge of the bug force. Rico watched as debris showered down and the transports landed. The hatches opened and he waved what remained of the civilians on the surface and his troopers into it.   
  
Within a minute everyone was loaded and the transports back in the air. Murphy was kicking anything loose and screaming at the top of his lungs. Zim quickly had him against the wall by his neck and was talking in a low tone to him.   
  
"You were given an order private. In this squad, when the Major gives you an order, you will follow it or you will have me to deal with. Is that understood?"   
  
"Sir, yes sir!" Murphy said through a slight choke. Rico came up to Zim and eased him back.   
  
"There was nothing we could do son that was it. We got as many out as we could," There was some slight turbulence that knocked the ship around but the rest of the trip was quiet. They broke the atmosphere and set down on the _Jean Razak_ with no complications. The squad and the few civilians who were able to make it in stepped off onto the thick floor.   
  
The hangar was huge and filled with the crying of those who had already gotten off. Many had gathered in the far end and were trying to console who they could with what little words they could find. Rico led his squad out of the hanger and into their designated area for debriefing. One by one they passed him in the locker room and sadness was written all over their faces. He shook his head and walked off to his office to fill out his report. The fleet would take care of the rest of them.   
  


******

  
Carmen watched the displays as the bugs overran the compound where only a half hour before her troopers had been. Her aide came up to her and let her know that all the civilians were taken care off and the last of the ships were secure for departure.   
  
"Very well," She turned to her helmsman. "Mister Hol, please set coordinates for Tesca Nemerosa, Mister Vartan, relay orders to the rest of the task force and the Tophetti ships, let them know where we're going."   
  
The bridge crew quickly began to move and set in for the jump. Systems displays became active showing the status of the entire ship and all its systems. The computers voice came over the intercom and blared its warning. Carmen gripped the arms on her chair tightly as the helmsman eased the throttle forward and the ship accelerated into light speeds.   
  
  
NEAR LOVELL   
  
Carl twisted the last of the wires together and closed the panel. He'd been standing outside on the barren wastes of the rock floating in the middle of nowhere for close to a day, using his hijacked schematics and knowledge to try and get the ship running. But he was running out of air. He'd used his powers to try and slow it down some, but it was beginning to pass the point where it was futile. One breath every twenty minutes really was stretching even what he could do. He crawled his way back into the airlock and slapped the release and the doors closed. There was a moment then came the hiss of recycled oxygen and Carl twisted the locks on his helmet. It slid off and he took a deep breath and began to revive his body, he knew he'd need about an hour of strict concentration before he could move.   
  
He let his mind wander some, keeping a low silhouette so the queen couldn't detect him. He was on Earth, on Tesca, on Klendathu, on P, everywhere there was a psychic of any power. The war was not going well; SICON may have already been struck the fatal blow, with little hope of any come back. Times of wonder and anxiety caused Carl to both curse and bless his precognitive inabilities, holding true to the age old axiom: ignorance is bliss. Or was it? He spent the remainder of his time coming out his self induced suspension, and when he could move again, he settled into the flight couch and set his course for SICON space.   
  
The small ship shuttered for a moment then with some slight groaning, found itself back into open space. He pushed the throttle forward and quickly left the field before activating the jump sequence.   
  
In her central cave the queen sat squeezing more eggs from her body and shook her head as she heard the call of the human. Her immediate aide noticed her distress and asked her what troubled her.   
  
[He escaped.] She said. [And he is coming back.]   
  
  
EARTH   
  
Miriam sat in front of the cameras. The light on top was still red. Aides were rushing around filling out reports, signing for reports, typing up the most accurate report of the situation at hand. Report. Report. Report.   
  
She shook her head and looked down at her notes; some basic scribble of what she could say, but not what she should say, not in the least. How could she tell billions that in all probability, Earth was about to be overrun by an invading alien force once again, and this time, there was no hope. She would have consulted the precog's but the only one's left on the planet had been found with their brains blown out and a pistol on the ground. She knew what it meant. Another report was laid in front of her, only raising the list of planets under attack. She looked at her notes again. Her hands were shaking. The camera crew began to move in and a young woman in front of her started counting down, then the light turned green.   
  
Miriam was still for a moment, her lips sealed with doubt and fear. Her hands were shaking so horribly that she didn't know if her tearing the notes was intentional or not. She blinked after what seemed like hours and tears began to pour. The timer next to the camera told her she'd been live for almost twenty seconds now without saying a word. She cleared her throat but neglected to wipe away her tears.   
  
"People of the Strategically Integrated Coalition of Nations and our allies afar," she spoke, her voice bursting forth loud yet broken. Her breathing was un-rhythmic at best. "I come before you today under the gravest of circumstances and in light of the most dire turn of events. I could sit before you and play games with words like, 'possible' or 'indefinite', but they are only games. I am here before you to confirm that the rumors that have been circulating are true: The Arachnid Hoard has returned and is currently engaging our forces across our territory including former bug strong holds." She took a breath and looked down.   
  
"We saw some of the signs, but in our own decadence we failed to realize them in enough time and resolve. For ten years have we let ourselves rot away, here, starting at the core, and allowed it to branch outward. And now, we are faced with our most horrible tribulation yet. I will not lie to you, they are coming here, and they will get here. They will destroy and kill and if we succumb to defeat before that happens, they will win and we will be extinct. Now I could sit here and place blame as to why this happened but it would do nothing but bolster egos and create more internal strife. I sit before you telling you that now is the time to be strong, the time to prepare and the time to fight. The enemy has no mercy and we will show it none. We have fought this enemy before and we have defeated it. We are fighting this enemy again and we will defeat it, should it last one year or one hundred, we will not give in and bow down to extinction." She had felt her anger rise and take over and now she sat silent and staring into the camera.   
  
"This is where we are, and this is where we will stay. Thank you and may God have pity on us." And the light went blank.   
  
  
JEAN RAZAK   
  
Zim turned away from his tearful wife's face and gritted his teeth. She stopped talking and the VID was replaced by the standard insignia. The Roughnecks, the Wolves and the Falcons had gathered in the mess and watched the address. Everyone was silent. Zim turned back and saw that no one had moved at all and they were all waiting for the next word. Jonnie stood up and walked to the front of the group. He turned the display off and sat down on a table looking out at the three dozen troopers.   
  
"To many of you have seen to many winters, the others: to few." He continued to look at each and everyone of them, Zim caught his eye once and saw something had changed. "I never wanted my job, but I had to take it. I joined the service for the wrong kind of reasons. Hell, I never asked to be born. But, I was, and everything that has happened, has happened. I wish I had something awe inspiring and profoundly moving, but I don't.   
  
"They're attacking us. They're attacking our family, our friends, our colonies, our home. I've faced them for fifteen years and the only thing that comes to mind is this: Give 'em hell. Make them fight for it, make them crawl and scrape for every single inch of space they occupy." He was still for a minute then looked down at his watch. "Dismissed." He said and the mess emptied save for him, Gossard, Doc, and Zim.   
  
"Moving speech," Gossard said.   
  
"Bravo." Doc smirked.   
  
"Plan on going for any medals for that one?" Zim asked. Zim could see it in him, Goss and Doc could too.   
  
Jonnie looked up at them and smiled. "Ten years guys."   
  
"Good to have you back son." Zim patted him on the shoulder.   
  
  
KLENDATHU   
  
The LT kicked the cracked screen in and cursed. Joseph looked up at him and took a bite of his ration.   
  
"That was the only working vid-display LT." He said chewing. The LT breathed heavily for a moment then looked up and laughed.   
  
"It was, wasn't it?" He sat down next to Jospeh and pulled out his ration. They had reached Fort Pyres without incident and found it deserted with no signs of struggle. They quickly set defensive perimeters and activated the four obsolete CHAS units. They'd been there for six days with no outside communication of any sort and had conceded that they might be all that's left on the planet. Redwing-Zim's address had just finished when the LT decided to replace the screen with his boot and then finish his dinner, or breakfast, they'd completely lost track of time.   
  
Joseph ate another small bite and chewed the wafer for a moment. "LT," He said and let it hang for a second. "What are we going to do now? The bugs are sure to know we're here."   
  
"Maybe not." The LT said.   
  
"How do you figure that?"   
  
"I have no idea. But you can't keep an old man from hoping." The two sat quietly and finished their meal before the LT ordered Joseph to sleep. The LT sat by, watching him as he slept in a nightmarish world waiting to die. He had readied his pistol and considered giving the boy a peaceful ending, one in sleep and painlessness. But life was suffering and suffering was life. The boy deserved to see his enemy and face it and die like a trooper if it came to that. He holstered his pistol and strapped his helmet on and went to patrol the wall defenses, waiting for the next attack to come.   
  
  
23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth   
from the garden of Eden, to till the ground   
from whence he was taken.  
24So He drove out the man; and He placed  
At the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims,   
And a flaming sword which turned every way,  
To keep the way of the tree of life.  
  
Genesis 3:23-24 


	11. Episode 11: The Crucible I

"The Armstrong Campaign"  
Episode 11 – The Crucible  
Day 1 (12 SBO)  
  
"Before you can even begin to fathom what its like to be in an actual battle you have to understand one thing. Above all else, an MI trooper is trained to kill, stay alive, and die. While the three seem like they would have nothing to do with each other, they are the staples of what it is to be a soldier in the modern galaxy. A trooper is trained to kill while staying alive, but if he (or she) becomes aware that all chance of survival is gone, they are trained to take as many of the enemy with them as possible; to go down swinging. Many hard lined critics have lambasted this policy since the end of the war but what they fail to notice is that these troopers maybe trained to do this, but they do it more often than not because they are aware that they are taking out at least one more enemy, that means one less that some other trooper has to fight, that means one less trooper that has to die.   
  
"Captain Michael O'Hare wasn't trained like this, but he knew he was going to die and that his ship was going down in flames. He decided of his own volition that he would take as many as he could with him. Now some believe that no matter what it's the human instinct to sacrifice oneself in hopes of protecting ones comrades or as we were faced with in both wars (or the war): the species."   
  
-Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_   
  
JEAN RAZAK   
  
Roger Muniz stood at full attention in the secondary cargo bay. The Roughnecks were gathered with the survivors from the Threshold in a memorial service for the Captain. He hadn't really known the Captain; he'd spoken with him a few times. Muniz had only been with the Roughnecks three months when they were reassigned to the _Jean Razak_, and yet he still felt a sense of loss. He could see it written on the Major's face; the two of them had been close, the closest the Major had had to a friend since he'd been away from Earth. And now, he stood at attention next to an empty tube with a picture in it to symbolize the Captain's body. Admiral Ibanez stepped up with her hands firmly behind her back. She was in full dress uniform with all her decorations pinned uniformly to her tunic.   
  
"I did not know Captain O'Hare personally," She said keeping her voice low and somber. "What little contact I did have with him revealed a man of astute character. I looked into his files and found what I expected to find, exemplary records, commendations from crew and fellow officers. But reports and files can never tell the story of the man." With that she stepped aside and Rico, he too in full dress, approached the tube.   
  
"I knew Mike for six years." He choked slightly. Muniz had never seen the Major like this, he looked around and the younger members seemed to all have the same expressions while the older ones seemed to understand. "I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do here, or say. The last time I had to do anything like this, we didn't need words.   
  
"I guess its best, and easiest, to say that in a war, people die, and every soldier that dies is one to many. The cliché works best in situations like this. Mike was my friend, he was a good officer, and he was a good captain. I always knew you could count on him, and he proved that. _Caveat, a verbis ad verbera aut vincere aut mori_. You died, we'll conquer. Rest in peace." Rico pressed the button and the tube shut and loaded into the launching tube.   
  
"Atten-SION!" Murphy called out. Everybody's heels clicked and they all turned to the view port and watched as the burial tube shot into space. The Major turned around and dismissed the detail. All but the Roughnecks left.   
  
"Orders?" Doc asked first after letting the moment sink and fade.   
  
"We're to remain on stand by." Rico said turning away back into the abyss of space. "We're en route to rendezvous with the third naval task force in orbit around Tesca Nemerosa. Once there we'll begin a counter attack."   
  
"Where to Major?" Muniz asked. Rico shot him a disapproving stare. "Just curious Major. Wanting to know where I'm fighting the enemy at, sir."   
  
Rico loosened. "Don't know son. Never know with Psycho." He took a breath and turned around. "It all depends on where we stand when we arrive."   
  
"Thinking it will be that bad?" L'Ioo asked. "Is SICON preparing for another Tophet and Earth invasion?"   
  
"What about Klendathu? I had friends there?" Murphy asked.   
  
"I know what you know private. Things didn't go exactly as needed back on Eden, so until our next drop, I've scheduled three training sessions a day in the VR room. Things will go differently next time."   
  
Gossard looked at Max and whispered. "He's talking about you."   
  
"I don't think so Goss, I'm not the one who passed out in the VR room last time," Max whispered with a smirk across his face. "Maybe he just wants another good laugh?"   
  
Gossard didn't say anything just bored holes straight into Max with his eyes. Max finally turned away. He turned back to see Rico staring him down. Gossard quickly gave in and turned away.   
  
Muniz was standing by the window looking out at the star lines when he saw Kepler exit. He turned and followed him out into the corridor.   
  
"Hey Kepler!" He called dodging by a crewman. "Hey wait up man!" He called again as Kepler turned a corner. Muniz followed and grabbed his shoulder. "Where are you going?"   
  
Kepler shrugged. "I think I'm going to sick bay."   
  
"What for?" Muniz asked. Kepler started walking again, this time with Muniz beside him. Muniz didn't really know Kepler that well; he mainly kept to himself and was quiet usually while Muniz and Murphy were arguing. But the kid did try his best.   
  
"The Major wants me to have my leg checked out before our next drop." Kepler said keeping his head down and walking at a brisk pace. He seemed somehow able to avoid every person while Muniz had to dodge and maneuver around as they walked down the corridor. "He has me on light duty."   
  
"What do you think?" Muniz said squeezing past a large man carrying an equally large pipe and toolbox.   
  
"About what?"   
  
"Do you think you can still perform?"   
  
"What do you care?" Kepler asked stopping dead. He looked at Muniz. "What's the point of this?"   
  
"I'm just trying to talk to you, that's all." Muniz was taken back for a moment. He'd never seen Kepler respond to anything in that manner. "You've seemed kind of bummed out for a while."   
  
Kepler seemed to mull over the words for a moment. He chewed on his cheek and looked around then met Muniz's eye. "I don't want to talk to you."   
  
The response was sharp and to the point. Muniz stood by as Kepler seemed to begin to calm slightly. He looked Muniz in the eye once more and continued on his way. Muniz didn't bother trying to follow him or trying to talk to him. He leaned against the bulkhead for a moment then turned around and went the other way. The words kept going over and over in his mind, the docile Kepler snapping on someone. Muniz hadn't been the nicest to Kepler, nor to anyone else, and he figured that this was his reward.   
  
On his way back to the barracks, Muniz literally bumped into Sergeant Brutto who looked at him and smiled. He was merely an inch from Muniz's eye and winked at him. The two were about equal in height but the Sergeant was easily twice as large.   
  
"How's it going Private?" Brutto asked. He wrapped his arm around his shoulder and pulled him with him. "Walk with me."   
  
"Uh- it's going good sir." Muniz said after a moment.   
  
"That's good." Brutto said. They passed the Wolves' barracks; every one inside was standing around while Higgins told a story. A loud burst of laughter erupted as the two walked past. "Got something on your mind?"   
  
"Um, no, sir." Muniz said. He wasn't too familiar with the _Jean Razak_ yet. He had no idea where The Sergeant was taking him.   
  
"Are you sure?" They rounded a corner and Brutto opened up the door. The two walked into a gymnasium. The ceiling was about three decks above them with catwalks lining the walls where crewmembers could run. A basket ball court and boxing ring marked both of the far sides with a huge area for weight lifting in the middle. Ropes dangled from trusses that crisscrossed from the catwalks. But right now no one was using any of it, the entire gym was empty.   
  
Muniz looked around for a second. "Is there a reason you brought me here Serge?"   
  
"Yes and no." Muniz didn't know what to say as Brutto walked across to a small series of mats laid out for judo practice. He began to stretch. "You weren't on your best on Eden."   
  
"First real combat, sir." Muniz said walking over to the edge of the mat. Brutto took off his jacket to reveal tight, cut muscles under a t-shirt with the Razak's registry on it. Muniz was becoming a little uneasy at where this looked like it was going. He didn't want to spar with the much larger and more experienced officer.   
  
"Never fired your weapon before? That what you're telling me?" Brutto asked never really looking directly at Muniz.   
  
"No, sir, I mean, yes, sir, I've fired my weapon—" Brutto interrupted him.   
  
"But that's what you said. Say what you mean." The Sergeant started moving around, doing some shadow boxing. "You know, it may look at times like there is little to no respect among the more senior officers of the squad. Don't let that fool you. We all have our faults and we all have our attributes."   
  
"Sir, I never would have suggested—"   
  
"The rest of the time you're with me, you will not speak unless I ask you too." Brutto stopped for a second then continued. Muniz held his lips shut tight. "The Major knows what he's doing with everyone of us. He has confidence in us, so you have no idea what kind of a problem you cause when you don't have the same faith in yourself, and then to not only show it, but to let that lack consume you. Every one of us has a purpose, otherwise we wouldn't be here. I fight with Lieutenant Zim while Gossard and Dick poke fun at me and me to them. The thing is, is that we never let it get to us when the time to focus comes. We never let jealousy, love, hate, fear get in the way of what we have to do. That's something that is lacking in our current training.   
  
"You and your friend Kepler have the exact same problem; you guys don't believe in yourself, while I'll admit it, perhaps Kepler shouldn't be here, but that's ultimately the Major's call, not mine. You do belong here, you have the heart, but you have to let go of your fear and know that part of signing up for this was the knowledge that you might die. You're afraid and you're buddy buys it because of something you do or don't do the feeling will stay and never go away."   
  
Muniz was bordering on agitation; he felt that the Sergeant was baiting him, trying to goad him into something by attacking his performance. "Permission to speak freely Serge?"   
  
"Go ahead Private." Brutto said stopping his shadow boxing and stretching a little more.   
  
"Is there a point to this?" Muniz's voice was stiff and solid, trying to show that he wasn't afraid. But Brutto's response made his whole image and plan fold over on itself and he felt naked against a huge battleship.   
  
"Yes!" Brutto snapped. He walked up to Muniz and got right in his face. As he spoke Muniz could feel sweat begin to bead on his forehead and the heat from the Sergeant's breath passed down his neck. "You better wake up, because if for one second I think you're not going to cut it out there, I won't hesitate to take you out myself. Are we clear?"   
  
Muniz felt his throat instantly go dry and chills shoot down his spine. "Crystal, sir."   
  
"Good." Brutto eyed him over a little bit. "Get undressed; you're going to be my sparring partner."   
  
"But Serge—."   
  
"That's an order. Private."   
  
  
Gossard sat next on the left hand side of Rico and Zim was on his right. They were sitting in the briefing room of the _Jean Razak_ watching a vid-clip of the battle on Klendathu. Lieutenant Breckenridge was sitting across from them with his Sergeant, a kid named Gilbert Rothschild. T'Phai was also present with his son and a Major H'Scrii, both of whom were impressive men; they sat at the end of the table. Admiral Ibanez and Captain Isaac of the _Harry Lee_ sat at the head of the table, their backs to the rest of the table. The vid-screen flickered as a bug ran at the camera then went to static. Admiral Ibanez turned it off with a button on her chair. She turned back around with despair written across her face.   
  
"These images are from six days ago. We haven't received any word from Klendathu since." Everyone around the table stirred; there was some slight murmuring about the amount of troops and ships stationed there.   
  
"How many ships were stationed there?" Isaac asked leaning against the table.   
  
"Four Battle Ships, _Indelible_ class. There hasn't been any word from them in four days." Carmen brought up a galactic map and zoomed in on the Klendathu system. "When they last reported, they were still in the system." She pointed at a large ringed planet, the third from Klendathu. "We believe they had survivors, but we just don't know."   
  
"What's SICON's plan?" Breckinridge asked. He put his hands behind his head and pushed his chair back on its hind legs.   
  
"A counter attack is still being... 'formulated'." Ibanez said.   
  
"Big talk for 'we don't know'." Zim said.   
  
Carmen was silent for a moment. "Yes." Everyone began to get somewhat upset now and Gossard cleared his throat. Everyone quieted and looked at him.   
  
"If SICON doesn't have a plan, what are we doing?" He asked setting his arms against the smooth black table.   
  
"Are we supposed to just run from battle?" Rothschild chimed in. Some of the others nodded in agreement. Finally T'Phai spoke up.   
  
"Are there any words on what is to be done about Tophet?" He asked, his voice allowing his disguised worry and regret to come through and be noticed.   
  
"This third fleet is in orbit around Tophet as a means of protection." Carmen answered trying to quell T'Phai's worry.   
  
"And may I ask how many ships that is, Admiral?" T'Phal's sullen voice broke the moment. He was visibly frightened. He had been a child when the Bugs had enslaved his people during the first war.   
  
"That's twenty two ships, plus support craft." Ibanez said with a soft toned voice. There was a silence that settled over the room for a moment. Finally it was Rico who broke it.   
  
"What are our orders?" He asked simply. His voice was strong and to the point, everyone turned to the Admiral as if to ask the same thing.   
  
"We're retreating. Tesca Nemerosa then to Earth where SICON hopes to hold off the bug forces if needed." She was quiet for a moment then as she opened her mouth to begin to talk, the warning klaxons began to blare. She, along with everyone else jumped up and went into battle mode. Isaac quickly left the room after a few words to the Admiral; Gossard figured he was on his way back to his ship. T'Phai ordered his son and Major to their shuttle while he stayed behind to see what was going on.   
  
Carmen had pulled up her XO on the vid. "What's going on?"   
  
He looked nervous. "Large gravitational shadow." He paused. A crewman handed him a small pad and he looked it over for a moment. "It's confirmed. It's a bug transport."   
  
"Let me see it." Carmen ordered and soon a huge transport bug filled the small vid screen. Rico stepped closer with Breckenridge. He turned to him and nodded. "Where is it headed?"   
  
"Looks like the Armstrong system." The voice of the XO came through over the picture. "It's about three parsecs away."   
  
"I was there two weeks ago." Rico said thoughtfully. He turned to T'Phai. "That's where I was when you contacted me with Carl's message. We didn't have time to finish cleaning up when we were done."   
  
"What are they going after?" Zim asked looking over the readouts on the side of the screen.   
  
"Unknown," came the XO's voice. "But they're in a hurry."   
  
Rico's eyes suddenly widened. "We have to stop them."   
  
"What?" Breckenridge looked around at the others. "I don't know if anyone's noticed, but we aren't exactly in any sort of condition to take on a bug transport. Most of the ships were damaged above Eden, our ordinance is low, and there isn't any way to stop them."   
  
"There might be." Rico said.   
  
"Major Rico, I'm going to have to ask that you explain yourself." Carmen said turning around to face everyone else.   
  
"First," T'Phai broke in. "I must excuse myself. I'm afraid that as we've been speaking, I received a message. I've been ordered to return to Tophet. My heart and thoughts go to you, best of luck my friends."   
  
"Thanks T'Phai," Gossard said. The others gave similar gratitude's and T'Phai left the room.   
  
"There was a brain there." Rico said as the doors shut. "On one of the moons, that's where we were."   
  
"And where there's a brain, there's a huge army." Breckenridge finished.   
  
"Exactly, and since we didn't finish the job, this transport is going to pick up reinforcements." Rico said. Everyone in the room was still and silent, Carmen's face was hard and thoughtful; she was working over something in her mind. Breckinridge was clenching his fist. Rico turned to Zim who was standing calmly in his usual stoic stance with a similar face.   
  
Carmen leaned against the wall. "Mister Junker, set an intercept course for the transport."   
  
"Aye, admiral." The XO's voice replied. There was a click as the comm. turned off but the telemetry on the transport remained on the screen.   
  
"Major Rico, this is going to be your operation. You make the call." Carmen said with a smirk. Gossard figured that she knew what Rico wanted to do, even if he didn't. Since it looked like it might be a quick in and out and they had no idea what they were doing, Carmen was giving Rico the go ahead to do whatever he felt was necessary.   
  
"Lieutenant Breckenridge, please prepare your squad for landing," Rico said before the Admiral could say anything else. "Lieutenant Zim, prepare the Roughnecks, we'll drop in first and establish a beach head where ever this thing lands, Breckinridge, you'll provide the second wave, if needed." Rico looked around for a second. "I want everyone suited and ready and in the briefing room in twenty."   
  
Gossard looked at Breckenridge as he walked out of the room, he was stiff and unemotional. Carmen was looking over the telemetry and at a clock, doing calculations in her head. Zim whispered something into Rico's ear and he simply nodded and left. Rico turned to Gossard.   
  
"Follow me," He said. He turned back to Carmen. "What's wrong?"   
  
"That wasn't a normal transport. It was different, larger." She said then she shook her head and seemed to come back to the rest of the world. "Major, I want this done quick, I'm sending the _Ticonderoga_ and _Harry Lee_ ahead to the rendezvous point, we'll catch up." Rico and Gossard saluted and left the room.   
  
As they walked down the corridors Rico began to give his orders to Gossard. "Start warming up three Marauders, you, Doc and L'Ioo are going to be our spearhead."   
  
"What do you have planned?" Gossard asked as they entered the main ordinance depot.   
  
"We're going to finish it as quickly as possible. Once it lands, we're going to drop right on top of it." Rico said punching into a large vault. He opened the door and inside was three draws arranged in columns, each about two feet wide. There were serial numbers. Rico looked over them and found the one he wanted. He had to put in his code again.   
  
Gossard walked over to the Marauder bay while Rico opened up the drawers and twisted the wheel to open the pressurized room. Inside were rows on either side of about ten alcoves each. On the right were the duck marauders and on the left the apes. He walked over to the apes and began to run the pre-warm up sequences on them. They would need at least three hours to be ready to move. He moved to the next ape then went to duck and had them running their power up sequences and ammunition loading sequences pre-set. He peeked out the door and saw Rico had opened up a locker. He could tell from the amount of fog pouring out of the drawer that it was a cold storage locker. He didn't like the way this was looking.   
  
He went back and saw that at the moment the suits were fine and he wouldn't be needed for at least twenty minutes so he decided to walk out and see what Rico was up to. He had pulled out a small tube and slid it into a rectangular device. The edges were rounded off and the top had a small panel that was lit up with a display and several buttons. Gossard knew exactly what it was.   
  
"Haven't used nukes in six years." Gossard said walking up to him. "SICON decided they were a special occasion weapon only. Figure this as one?"   
  
Rico looked up and smiled then winked. "I've missed them. It's like that friend who always comes to the party and wrecks everything in the house."   
  
"These were our best friends." Gossard said looking over it. "Not as big as this though." Gossard began to feel over its smooth lines. They used to be a troopers best friend. "Sure could've used them on Eden."   
  
"Eden was a protected planet," Rico said pulling it up. "But they used them before we dropped... nothing this big. But speaking of which, I need to get ready." He handed the large nuke to Gossard. "Set the suits and be in the briefing room in twenty. Bring eighteen extra batteries."   
  
Gossard nodded. He knew what Rico was planning from the look in his eyes. He prepared a 'travel box' and set the nuke down in it. A 'travel box' was a tight container that had been issued several years earlier as a means of dropping a nuke with a trooper to allow for precise, surprise bombing. It was easier to calculate than from orbit but more dangerous since the nuke was traveling with the trooper. The travel box allowed for safety and efficient use of time. They were going to nuke the bug.   
  
  
Muniz couldn't get the pain out of his mind as the Major began to talk. The Serge had given him a hell of a beating. He'd just been slammed to the floor when he'd heard the alarms go off. The sergeant had grabbed him and lifted him back on to his feet and smiled a toothy grin. A small drop of blood had begun to fall down his nose and he wiped it away.   
  
"Good shot Private!" Brutto had said. "We gotta go!"   
  
The two of them had hurried back to the barracks and gotten into their jumpsuits and were ready to go when Zim had entered and told them to be in the briefing room suited and ready to go in twenty. And now they were sitting with the Major beginning his briefing. His ribs still hurt. The Major had a map of the immediate vicinity of the transport bug, but since it hadn't landed yet and they didn't know where it would land, the landscape was unknown from best, and what he'd done so far was just go over the basic rules of engagement and lines of battle, he also went over the terrain to be expected and the report on Armstrong which he already knew, then Gossard walked in. He laid down some trays with batters slid into slots then the Major's tone changed and everyone immediately stiffened.   
  
"Here's the plan people," He punched up a 3D image of the bug and a possible landing spot. Since the surface of Armstrong Prime was heavily cratered, the hologram showed the lip of a crater next to the bug. Several hot points were quickly highlighted, none of them looked good. Two were on top of the bug, and two more on opposite sides. "We're dropping right on top of it. The two groups landing on the top will be in charge of cracking the nut open; these two groups on the side are going to cover those on top." The Major changed screens to show a large scale nuke, one big enough to rip any transport apart and the surrounding two miles.   
  
"This will be our nutcracker." He nodded at Gossard who stepped up and gave the full details on the weapon and looked back at the Major who continued on with the briefing. "The duck will drop on top; it will be carrying the nuke, the two other on either side to provide heavy support. We'll plant the nuke, set it on timer and evac to a pick up point two clicks south." The hologram showed the route and everyone understood. The rest of the briefing was more standard stuff. As it concluded Lieutenant Breckinridge walked in and whispered into the Major's ear and he dismissed the squad.   
  
Muniz caught Kepler as he left. "Kepler, wait up!" But he kept walking. He grabbed his shoulder and Kepler pushed him away. "Man, what is your problem."   
  
"I don't want to try and be your friend Muniz," He said pushing him again. "You haven't exactly been the easiest person to get along with, and I don't know what you think you're trying to do this time, but I'm not going to let you tear at me. And don't even try and bring up what happened last time at Armstrong, being stuck in that crater wasn't my idea of a good time, especially with you."   
  
"Look, I know I haven't been the most mature, but come on, we're in a different field now, things have changed." Muniz was trying to calm Kepler and mend the wounds, but Kepler didn't seem to want any part of it.   
  
"Changed for you maybe," Kepler said. "I was fighting the same war a month ago I am now; the only thing that's changed is that now they are even more for me to be afraid of—"   
  
"Muniz! Kepler!" A voiced boomed. They turned to see the Sergeant with Lieutenant Zim. It looked like it was Brutto who had broken in and this time brought reinforcements. Muniz figured it wasn't because they were afraid of a physical confrontation, but they wanted to scare them; it had worked.   
  
"What the hell is going on here?" Zim stepped past Brutto and pressed both of them against the wall.   
  
"Nothing, sir." Muniz wheezed.   
  
"That's correct sir, nothing." Kepler squeaked.   
  
Zim looked from one to the other. "I want to hear some tall tales I'll call up INTEL. Now what is going on? I asked for a report from the sergeant and I get your names red-flagged."   
  
"Just resolving a personal dispute, sir!" Kepler said.   
  
"No, you're not resolving it; you're acting like a bunch of green rookies! This is not your high school prom; there is no Alpha male, there is only the Major, he is your mother and father, the sergeant and I are you big brothers. The Major wants us to make sure you are ready after our sloppy performance on Eden. Now this is settled now! I hear even a peep out of either of you the makes me even think about saying something I will have you ship side until we find replacements. Am I clear?" Zim had the two of them almost cowering. Muniz wanted to die. There was a moment of silence.   
  
"AM I CLEAR?" Zim yelled, saliva spraying onto both of their faces.   
  
"SIR YES, SIR!" They both yelled.   
  
"Good. We have drop in an hour." Zim walked off but Brutto remained. He measured the two of them up the stepped up into their faces. His face was crinkled and contorted; Muniz thought it would almost look comical if he wasn't terrified.   
  
"When we're done with this mission, the three of us are going to have a little get-together in the VR room. That copy?"   
  
"Sir, yes, sir." They both said again. Brutto walked away and the two of them stood there in silence for a few moments. Several of the ships crew walked by and gave them quizzical looks but didn't say anything. Finally they looked at each other, shook hands and then moved on.   
  
  
Carmen was sitting in her command chair watching the transport as it slid to a halt on the surface of Armstrong. The Razak was in orbit three thousand kilometers above it. She was not in the mood to have this drawn out and had conceded to Rico's plans. Hopefully it would all be said and done in two hours, maybe sooner. She watched as the drop ship shout out from underneath the Jean Razak and towards its target. She turned to her XO and shook her head.   
  
"Comm., begin the clock." Junker said and two bars came up on either side of the main observation window, there was a moment of a slight hum then a light blue holographic clock began to count from zero.   
  
"Best of luck boys." Carmen whispered to herself. She turned to Junker. "I want a constant fix on their beacons at all times. The Wolves are prepared?"   
  
"They're in a drop ship on stand by." Junker said. There was a moment of silence. "One minute until drop."   
  
Carmen nodded and gripped into the arm. It was going to be a tense two hours.   
  
ARMSTRONG  
  
There were benefits to a planet not having an atmosphere. When they dropped out of the drop ship the Roughnecks didn't encounter any heat or atmospheric resistance, which always caused a trooper to begin sweating. But rather than atmospheric friction, the Roughnecks got the dubious pleasure of dropping into plasma fire.   
  
Rico looked at the clock display in his visor and called from the capsule jettison. All around pieces of metal and plastic filled the air. Rico looked up and saw the Marauders maybe a hundred feet away and closing. He turned and saw the drop ship as a faint light zigzagging between plasma fire but soon erupted into a ball of flame. Rico gritted his teeth and heard some curses from the troops.   
  
"All right everyone, fire jets, drop your bombs." Rico pulled his directional controllers over his shoulders and began maneuvering towards the transport's upper body. He pressed a small button on his left arm and two tubes sprung out from either side of his pack and a dozen small golf ball-sized bombs rained down on the surface, after a moment silent explosions rippled across the ground. He grinned and looked back at his target. Gossard shot past him in the duck and quickly landed on the transport. Doc and L'Ioo landed on either side and began firing into the transport and the bugs coming towards them. Twenty seconds later Rico was on top of the transport. Brutto landed as he was supposed to but Muniz seemed to have had a slight malfunction in his pack and slammed into the back of the bug. Gossard was busy cutting with his torch into the thick hide and looked up for a moment to see him.   
  
"He okay?" He asked looking back down. Muniz got up and was holding his left shoulder for a second. He bent over and grabbed his weapon and ran to Rico. Brutto stepped next to Rico and Muniz reached them, he had his gun ready and was looking quickly all around.   
  
"You okay Private?" Rico asked looking at his arm.   
  
"I think it might be dislocated." Muniz said with a grunt. Rico flipped down his visor and saw that Muniz was right. He turned him around and saw the problem; one of the tubes and ejected to hard and caused a rupture in the pack. The gun fire was constant now. Rico bit his lip for a moment the turned to Brutto who immediately knew his orders.   
  
"Roger, sir. I think I can baby sit these two just fine." He said with a grin nodding sideways to Gossard.   
  
"I heard that." Gossard said.   
  
"How much longer Goss?" Rico asked as he nodded at Brutto and made his way towards Zim who was fighting alone with L'Ioo.   
  
"Five minutes." He said after a moment.   
  
"Good, keep burning." Rico said firing his pack and dropping down into the battle below. He dropped in right on top of a bug and pulled the trigger and began blasting into every bug in sight.   
  
JEAN RAZAK  
  
The clock read: 00:34:51. Carmen turned to her XO who was marking the times down and checking off planned times as they came. So far, so good. She flipped the comm. and connected to Lieutenant Breckenridge.   
  
"Lieutenant," She took a breath to make sure he registered who was on the line. "How are your boys doing down there?" she heard someone yell out 'and girls!' and smiled. Breckenridge quieted the soldier and replied.   
  
"Anxious Admiral. We're itching to get in there and do something." He said.   
  
"Just sit back, everything is going according to plan. Hopefully we won't need you." Carmen said. She knew the people were probably getting more than anxious and restless. It was hard to sit back and just wait not knowing how your comrades were exactly doing, just expecting for the next call to be the one that sends you in to find their bodies.   
  
"Hopefully not," Breckenridge said. "Wolves standing by." He said and cut the link. She didn't blame him. She wished she could be there too.   
  
00:37:17.   
  
ARMSTRONG  
  
Max pulled the nuke off of the back of the duck and Gossard turned around as he dropped it in and slid it down on a tether. The battle below was still raging; he figured they'd have to get out of there soon. They looked around for a moment the Gossard punched up the countdown for the nuke and set it. He saw Muniz standing with one arm limp and the other with his rifle ready. Max turned back to Gossard and gave the thumbs up which cued him to start the countdown.   
  
They walked to the south to the edge of the bug where Kepler, Doc and Murphy were wasting away bugs. Gossard smiled and was about to activate his jets when he noticed something. He stared for a moment then realized the bugs were in retreat. The situation normally seemed implausible and was now very odd, but he wasn't about to question it. He heard Murphy yell out in relieved joy, but that's when the transport began to shake. It was getting ready to take off.   
  
  
Rico could tell for sure now that the bugs were in retreat. Part of him was relieved, but another part of him was worried. They might be regrouping and coming back or the transport was going to release some. He was about to radio to Gossard when the ground began to shake and he heard a dull hum. He knew exactly what was happening then. He flipped over to Brutto.   
  
"Max! Get off of that thing now!" He shouted. He couldn't see anyone on top of it, but he was sure it was beginning to get the feeling that they might not make it off before the transport took to the air. Then he saw them leap from it, Muniz clinging onto the duck and Max firing his jets. But as they were almost down, the transport ignited its thrusters and pushed the air outwards when threw them all off their bearings. Rico ducked as a blast of sand and rock shot over them. L'Ioo was knocked backwards and flipped around until she hit a boulder. Rico called out to her but received no response. Zim had his hands dug into the dirt and teeth clamped down as they waited for it to die down. After a moment he could tell it was in the air and Rico looked up to see it shooting into the air. He checked around, he could see Murphy, Doc and Kepler on the other side checking their surroundings. The bugs would be back any minute. Doc broke through on the radio yelling for Gossard and the others. No reply came. Zim rushed to L'Ioo and pulled her out of the Marauder, he could tell her suit was badly damaged.   
  
"Status Lieutenant?" Rico asked vaulting up onto the plain. The indention from the transport was hug and it looked as if much of the surrounding area had been blown around.   
  
"She's banged up real bad Major; her suit looks like it could be compromised at any moment. We have got to get her off of this planet now!" Zim said. Rico nodded and listened as Zim began to radio for pick up. Doc was out of his marauder, he assumed that it had been as badly damaged as L'Ioo's. Kepler and Murphy were running across the plain heading north. He flipped his visor down and saw what they were running towards. Three forms were lying on the ground unmoving. Rico fired his jets and took off towards them, but that's when he heard Doc yell and turned back to see a horde of bugs closing in on them. He ordered Murphy and Kepler back to hold the line with Zim and Doc while they waited on pick up. He radioed to Zim.   
  
"ETA?" Zim told him two minutes and he cursed. He was almost to them when he saw even more bugs coming in from where he was headed. He started to lose speed slightly and realized that his pack must have been damaged in the take off. Suddenly it went out and he crashed to the ground. He felt the sinews tear in his arm then the bone SNAP as his forearm folded under him. The momentum carried him a few yards and he used it to spring up and run the rest of the war. He slid in next to Brutto and started waking him up. He heard Gossard groan and crawled to him.   
  
"Goss, wake up!" He yelled. Suddenly his eyes shot open and he tried to sit up and slammed his head into the canopy of the marauder. He moaned some more then smiled.   
  
"Reporting sir," He said flipping the switch and throwing the canopy open. He began to climb out but yelled out. "That's it! Broken leg." He let out a sigh.   
  
"We have to try and get you out of here." He turned around and saw Max lifting Muniz up off the ground. Both were conscious and the bugs were almost on top of them. The ground was shaking. Muniz and Max both turned and looked. Muniz pushed himself off of Max and pulled his gun off of his back, Max tried to do the same but it wasn't there so he unholstered his gun and began firing as the first few got to them. One slid across the dirt and Max jumped over it.   
  
Rico pulled his gun off the ground and started firing. "Gossard!" He yelled. He heard him groan some more then sigh.   
  
"I'm going to slow you down!" He said falling out of the marauder. "The nuke is set to blow, you guys need to get back to the ship, I'll hold them back!"   
  
"Negative!" Rico yelled dropping a bug. He turned and saw Muniz lifting Max off the ground. He was shooting at a bug the whole time but it got through and clamped onto Max's arm. He yelled out in pain.   
  
"Go!" Gossard yelled. Both turned as Brutto yelled again and saw Muniz firing into a bug, holding onto Max with his dislocated limb. Max's arm was missing and blood was flowing. "I've the detonator on the Marauder; you have two minutes before it goes. You need to get him off before he dies." Rico started to say something. "Better one of us than all of us."   
  
The transport started coming down, the trail of fire arcing across the sky. Rico conceded and ran to Muniz and Brutto and told Muniz to hold on and grabbed Max. He forced Muniz's jets to fire and shot into the sky. He threw down his extra batteries at Gossard as he began to crawl away from the Marauder. He was soon out of sight and they all crashed into the ground near Zim and Doc.   
  
Doc rushed to them and gasped out loud. "We have got to get him off of here now!" He said as the transport touched down. "He's in shock. He may be going into hypothermia if we don't move." Rico nodded and had Doc carry Max up there. L'Ioo was conscious and Muniz and Murphy helped her up the ramp into the transport. Zim and Rico laid down fire until they were all up. He thought about saying they were going back but there was an explosion and dozens of dead bugs flew up into the sky. Rico gaped and turned and ran up the ramp after Zim. It retracted and the door shut. The ship lifted off the ground and took to the air.   
  
JEAN RAZAK  
  
Carmen watched as the transport came towards them, right at them. She grinned and ordered the forward guns to take aim. She knew the Roughnecks weren't on it, their locaters still showed on the map of the planet. The guns were about to fire as the bug came into range when it exploded in a nuclear fire. Everything went white and several crewmen screamed as the automatic tints on the view ports failed to compensate in time. Everything for Carmen went white then dark again. She heard her XO scream for everyone to brace for impact.   
  
Carmen clenched the arms of her chair as the ship suddenly pitched upward then rolled over; she could hear explosions and people yelling. The ship shook violently and she fell from her chair and hit her head against the corner of something. She grimaced and felt the flow of warmth pouring down her face. The ship was still shaking violently and finally the rumble passed. She felt around for a moment and felt a firm hand take hers. Her sight was coming back but everything was a blur. She felt herself sat into a chair and soon a few cries were coming up and calls for medics and damage reports. Soon she could see again, only slightly blurred and saw that her bridge was in total disarray.   
  
Wires hung from the ceiling, pieces of the floor were ruptured, consoles were broken and fires burned all around. Smoke filled the sticky air and the stench of burning flesh was beginning to come to her as her senses came to her completely. Her ship was damaged, people were dying on it, she didn't know the status of the Roughnecks, and she was feeling light-headed. Junker stooped in front of her and smiled as she mouthed the word 'status'.   
  
"The ship's going to be okay Admiral," He said bracing her up as she swayed. "Medic's are on their way up here, just stay awake, stay focused." She nodded but it hurt. She closed her eye as blood began to run over it. The doors were forced open in the back of the bridge and she tried to turn but her head was heavy and she felt herself falling. Junker braced her again and she felt firm hands grasp her shoulders and pull her onto the floor. Soon she was lifted up and being carried away. Assuring voices told her everything was going to be okay then everything seemed to just pass into a blur.   
  
'No one is fool enough to choose war instead of peace — in peace sons bury fathers, but in war fathers bury sons.'   
  
Herodotus, _The Histories_


	12. Episode 12: The Crucible II

Episode 12 – The Crucible: Search and Rescue  
Day 3 (14 SBO)

"There is nothing more frightening than to be missing, I know this for a fact. When you're in actual battle, you've mentally prepared yourself for the possibility that at a moments notice you could buy your farm. But one thing you can never really get used to is that you could end up getting separated from your squad and not know what to do next. But to be injured, on a planet with no breathable atmosphere, and running out of power in your suit can be downright terrifying, but then, I could only assume on that." 

Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_

ARMSTRONG PRIME

Echo Three eased the nose of his fighter down then leveled out over the plain he was now flying over. His scanners beeped to life, giving the cockpit a dull green glow. He heard a slight hum from electro-static feedback in his headset. He tapped it a few times and the hum went away. He sighed and watched the scanner's displays frowning. The landscape below him was barren and plain except for the craters and carcasses. They'd found the remains of the Marauders but never any remains for Warrant Officer Gossard. Two days searching and nothing. He knew the MI's power suits could last days, and Warrant Officer Gossard should be okay. It was starvation and thirst that had everyone worried. Echo three brought his attention back to the screen; still nothing. He passed over the explosion point again, blowing a few carcasses apart with his jets. His search patrol had another four hours over the surface.

Lieutenant Breckenridge held his hand up and closed his fist. His squad halted behind him and brought his hand back down. In the distance he saw a fighter blow two carcasses apart and grinned. His visor flipped down and began giving readouts, no seismic activity no movement above ground. The area was clear. He wasn't too sure if that was a good thing or not. Even a small amount of movement would give hope to their search. But nothing, not even any heat signatures. He flipped his visor back up and frowned. Nothing at all. He debated on returning to their base camp on the planet, Camp Currie as they'd dubbed it, but he just didn't feel right leaving with no trace at all of anything. If a helmet or a piece of armor, some sort of residue from a human body had been found, then it would be different. The MI didn't abandon one of it own if there was any chance.

He turned around and ordered his squad back to the base. They'd been out for twenty hours searching for anything. They needed some rest. The march back was silent. When they got back, Breckenridge noticed that Higgins was lagging behind slightly, his camera clutched in his hand, but he wasn't filming anything. Breckenridge waited as the troops began to go into the air lock.

SICON had provided the _Jean Razak_ with its newest in portable structures. They came in three sizes, ten feet by four feet, thirty by thirty, and twenty by twenty, the later meant for offices of commanding officers on the ground, the other for barracks and medical facilities and the first for corridors while air-locks were small six by six foot rooms, designed for maximum pressurization. The one draw back was that only two soldiers in full armor could fit in at a time. Right now, Breckenridge was waiting for everyone else to get inside. He wanted to take the chance to talk with Higgins.

Higgins had been assigned to the Wolves initially because of a screw-up on SICON's part. No one knew exactly what happened, but he seemed content to stay where he was for the moment. But ever since they'd arrived in the Armstrong system and the Roughnecks had dropped, Higgins, or Bobby as he told everyone to call him, seemed to be distracted a lot, and Breckenridge thought he knew why. Higgins passed him and smiled slightly.

"Higgins!" He said gruffly. He kept his eyes on him, boring into him as he turned around.

"Lieutenant?" Higgins said turning around and meeting his gaze.

"You have a problem Bobby?" Breckenridge asked closing the gap between them. Higgins looked Breckenridge over for a moment.

"Just wish there was more I could do." Higgins said. Breckenridge tried to console him but realized it was futile. They all got back into the base and in minutes, everyone was asleep except for Breckenridge. He stood for a moment then made his way to a bunk and fell into a fitful sleep.

Doc twisted the wheel on the door and heard the hiss as the two rooms pressurized. He pushed it open, a slight squeak ringing from it. He stepped lightly into the dimly lit medical bay that had been provided on Armstrong. Six beds for the some twenty four personnel on the planet, luckily there hadn't been any bug activity since they'd dropped. The _Razak _had so many wounded and was in such bad shape that it was better to have the MI on the planet for the time being. Two of the beds were occupied, one with Max Brutto, an apparatus covering his severed arm. There was a lot of work that had needed to be done; his arm had been exposed to the vacuum of space for too long. Doc checked his vitals and made sure that he was still asleep. An induced coma was the best option now to keep him from feeling any pain.

Muniz was in the bed next to him, asleep from heavy doses of medication. His shoulder would be healed for the most part within the week and he should be fit for duty in two weeks. Doc looked over them for a few minutes, thoughts racing through his mind. Questions and fears from the assault on the transport, things had happened that shouldn't have and now people were dead and dozens hurt. He stood and left the medical room and made his way down the corridor to the largest room, the one that had been dedicated for mess. There were four doors leading out of them. The one he'd just come out of, two on either side and one directly across from him. The two on either side were the barracks for the troopers; the one in front was another corridor that led to the communications room, the airlock and the Major's office.

Murphy and Kepler were eating some food with Zim who was telling them some stories from his time with the Roughnecks on the moon and on Mars after the defeat of the queen. He passed them by and as he entered the door to go to the Major, Zim stood and followed. He figured he saw the look on his face and decided to keep check. Doc shut the door and went to the door on the right and knocked. The Major called out and he entered. Rico looked up for a moment then back down at his paper work.

"Something I can help you with Doc?" He asked not really paying attention or not caring that Doc was there.

"We need to talk." Doc said. The hinges squeaked behind him and Zim came in.

"About what? I'm rather busy." Rico looked up. Doc could feel Zim breathing down his neck. Doc chewed his cheek for a moment.

"Do you have a death wish Major?" He asked. He was sharp and an uneasy silence settled. Rico leaned back in his chair and looked at Doc then looked down.

"You have a serious issue right now Rico-" Zim interrupted him.

"Check yourself Doc," He growled. Doc knew Zim was just trying to keep everything civil, trying to make sure that feathers weren't ruffled... much.

"No sir," Doc said looking at Zim then back at Rico. "As a doctor, I have a right question my commanding officer's motives and actions I also need to be soundly confident in his abilities to think. And right now, that confidence is beginning to waver. Since the beginning of this mission, I have seen nothing but bad decisions and sloppy mistakes, and the problem is, is that I know you better than that Rico. I have two injured troopers in the med bay, one missing friend, and countless others injured on the _Razak_."

Rico didn't say anything but kept quiet. Doc was beginning to get very angry; he slammed his fist into the desk, leaving a nice impression on it. "You'd better come clean with me real quick before I decide that you really are unfit for duty."

"Doc you need to calm down!" Zim shouted stepping up beside him. "You have a responsibility-"

"I have a responsibility to this squad," Doc interrupted, keeping his eyes fixated on Rico. "If I feel that the commanding officer is putting it in unnecessary risk through his inability to confidently lead them, then I have the _responsibility_ to relieve him. Now tell me right now Major, do I need to defer command to Lieutenant Zim?"

Rico stood. "Doc, you're right. I have made a lot of bad calls." He took a deep breath. "I suppose maybe I have cracked under the pressure. But relieving me is not going to fix anything, remember, these are soldiers, they know that they may die. That's their job."

"But to put them in that position when you _know_ there's an alternative, you know better than that." Doc said. Rico looked down then at Zim.

"Your thoughts on this Lieutenant?" Rico asked.

"I'm just here to fight sir. I've always known that in the field that I might buy my farm. But I have to agree with Doc, something needs to change." Zim stiffened. Rico seemed to think for a moment then nodded.

"Lieutenant, get L'Ioo, Murphy, and Kepler and meet me in the air lock in ten. We have a trooper to find." Zim saluted and walked out. Doc was about too when Rico stopped him.

"Major?" Doc asked. Not to sure of where he stood now in his eyes.

Rico offered his hand. "Thank you."

"For what?" Doc asked taking it in firm grasp.

"Waking me up. Rico shook it and released. "I've needed a slap in the face for a while I guess. You kind of lose what makes you human when you're away for so long." Doc stood there for a moment, not to sure of what Rico had told him. "You'll stay behind and keep an eye on the sergeant and Muniz."

Doc nodded and saluted. "Dismissed." Rico said returning the salute. Doc left and closed the door. He leaned against the wall and exhaled then made his way back to the mess hall. He passed by the others again and opened the door just as Zim came into the room. Doc shut the door behind him and sat on a stool and looked at Brutto and Muniz as they slept. He didn't want any more of that to happen to anyone, not without a reason.

Blackness. Darkness. A void in a vacuum. There was a slight hiss in front of his face and a sharp pain in his leg. Gossard flipped his light on. He'd been stuck in the hole for at least two days, maybe more. He'd turned the non vital systems in his suit off, which included communications. Because of the small crack in his visor he had to change his batteries every day to keep air in his lungs. And if that didn't make things bad enough, there was an arachnid sitting right in front of him with two crushed legs under a boulder. He'd named it Robert.

"How you doing Robert?" He asked. It let a few growls and shrieks as it did every few seconds.

"Yeah, I know how you feel buddy." He pulled his leg into a different position, it hurt like hell at first, but he knew it'd help blood from clotting. "So did you catch the game last night? Ocelots beat the crap out of the Eagles." The arachnid didn't move much; it laid its massive head down and just looked at Gossard.

"Eagles fun, huh? Never really paid much attention to them." Gossard leaned back and smiled. To think he was trying to talk to a bug that really wanted to kill him, it had no other purpose than to kill. "One soldier to another."

The ground shook slightly as it had since he'd woke up in the cave. Right before his marauder had exploded, the ground under him collapsed and he found himself bouncing off the boulder that was holding the bug down. Then the explosion ripped into the rock and he'd been knocked unconscious. When he'd finally woke up he had a crack in his visor, a snarling arachnid at his feet, and no rifle to ease both of their sufferings.

He looked back down at 'Robert' and tossed a rock at him and cursed it. He threw another rock and it quickly moved and caught the rock. Gossard shrugged and turned off his light and leaned back again. Either the Roughnecks would find him, or death.

JEAN RAZAK

The _Razak_ no longer had the look and feel of a brand new ship. He was no longer a ship with clean bulkheads; paint was not the smell that filled the nostrils now. Instead it was aroma of destruction and damage. A ship on its maiden cruise sent through a baptismal of fire, showing exactly what it was capable of doing.

Admiral Ibanez limped slowly through the corridors, a bandage tightly wound about her head stained with blood from the gash caused from an exploding computer panel. She was on the engineering level inspecting the various jobs being completed, grease and grime staining her standard issue coveralls. Each person greeted her with a warm smile and a 'happy to see you about Admiral'.

Repairs were going well and Junker had taken on most of the responsibility of the day to day running of the ship and the repairs, and though the doctor had told her to remain off duty, she had to survey her ship. She had to see what condition it was in and she knew that the sight of her would provide some morale to the crew.

The other ships were far enough away at the time of the explosion and received no damage. What ever supplies, repair workers, anything that could be spared, had been diverted to the _Razak_ and Carmen was thankful. She made her way back to her office, which she'd yet to clean up. Files and debris littered the place, her couch was burned and soaked from the ships automatic sprinklers; it all looked like something out of a bad dream. A brand new ship tore to pieces. She kicked a piece of metal across the room out of spite, it bounced off the wall and rolled to a step next to her desk. Out side the window the pathetic rock that was Armstrong filled the view. Back and forth from the _Razak_ and the other ships she could see the blue plumes of engines, tracing the routes between the each of the ships and the planet below. She moved back and sat in her chair behind the desk and looked at the pad she'd been neglecting for two days.

Casualty report.

ARMSTRONG PRIME

Gossard flipped his light back on. The bug shied away for a moment then let out a slow, low pitched growl.

"Did I wake you?" He asked flipping up the gauge. Six hours of air left in the suit. He looked at the bug. "You know Robert, you and I don't talk as much as we used to. Are you mad at me?"

There was a slight rumble outside. The ground began to shake. "Sounds like friends of yours." He said straightening up. The rumbling got loud, even the bug turned its head slightly. The ground was shaking really bad now, dirt and such was falling from the small ceiling. Come to think of it, Gossard wasn't too sure how deep underground he really was. Which meant, in a few minutes it seemed, he wouldn't know how much dirt and rock was burying his dead body. He shrugged.

"You know Robert, I'm kind of cold," He flipped his display back up and turned the suit back on to full power. The air meter dropped to an hour. "Well damn, there goes that." He looked around and thought grimly about how his grave was going to be next to a bug's. The good part was though that he knew his transponder was back on, so if they were looking for him, they'd probably be able to find him. If they were looking. The suit powered up and Gossard felt the chill go away. He would die warm.

Rico and the those who could were walking across the barren rock in a staggered formation. Zim had his snoopers down surveying the landscape, Murphy was watching the radar for anything, Kepler was bouncing into the sky as high as he could to keep a survey of everything from the sky. Something in the rocks made their radar scramble after about fifteen meters, so it was good old fashioned eyes for this job. L'Ioo was on point, her morita darting behind every rock. They'd been searching for the better part of six hours, and still no sign of anything, that included bugs

Kepler landed, a little hard and he buckled under his still hurting leg but quickly got back to his feet and told everyone he was okay. Rico looked out in front of them, they were coming up to the lip of a crater, this was about three kilometers from where Gossard was last seen two days ago. Doc had told them before they left that if Gossard had not been hurt, he might have been able to travel as far as ten miles since then, and with the unstable terrain and frequency of caves, all over the surface, that made the hundred square kilometer area even more difficult. The suit, if Gossard followed standard procedure, should have five and half hours left.

"Kepler!" Zim shouted and the private. He was checking his jets and systems before he jumped back into the sky.

"Sir?" Kepler answered turning to face him.

"I can't tell what we got in that crater, but I am seeing something. Check it out!" Zim barked. Kepler quickly launched into the sky and hovered there for a few moments.

"Major Rico!" Kepler said, his voice shaking with fear. "That crater is crawling! Big time. Looks like three or four thousand warriors, ten tankers, four plasma butts!"

"Bring it back down private." Rico said calmly, not wanting to betray the fear that was suddenly gripping him. Butterflies filled his stomach and remained even as Kepler landed. "Roughnecks, on me."

Everyone gathered around pretty quickly. He surveyed them; they seemed to be okay, clear, focused, alert. "All right people. I want suggestions."

There was a silence for a moment then everyone spoke at once. Rico rose his hand. "Murphy?"

"Tophetti crushers sir, take them out from the air, then have our planes follow it up with nukes. Worked on Eden." He said.

"That won't do us any good with four plasma bugs in range." Kepler said. "What about knocking their feet out?"

"Explain." Rico ordered.

"Come up underneath them sir, there's caves all through these parts. A couple of well places nukes will take the rug right out from under them." He said. Rico was impressed but knew it wouldn't work. Zim was shaking his head.

"Negative," Zim said. "Bugs will have their ears to the ground. They'll know. I recommend tightening the defenses Major. We have the walls, the _Razak_ can't move for at least a few days. The _Ticonderoga_, _M'Tre_, and _Harry Lee_ will cover our backs and lock the planet down while the _Razak_ gets repairs completed to get us home." Zim took a deep breath and looked back at the lip. "Or we just throw everything we have at them right now and take some out and then see if we can make it back."

"Gossard is out there." Murphy said.

L'Ioo chimed in, "An MI does not leave one of their own behind." Her quiet voice was soothing to Rico. "Alive or dead, he deserves to be retrieved."

Rico mulled it over for a moment. Then the idea hit him. "If Goss is out there, there's a very good chance he knows something is going on and may have activated his beacon," He turned to Zim. "Sergeant, what's our maximum range?"

"Twenty-two meters on the infrared, sixteen point three on radar." Zim quickly responded.

"Kepler, Murphy, L'Ioo, this is for all three of you. Low altitude jump across the crater, keep your scanners open. The Sergeant and I will keep you covered. I want a cross of that entire crater, not one inch should be left unmapped. Be fast, be safe." Rico smiled. "We'll get him out if he's down there."

Rico patched into the _Jean Razak_. This was a risk, but they needed to know. The XO answered and Rico relayed their coordinates and the situation.

"Best of luck, Major." Junker said. "We'll have fresh supplies waiting for you back at base."

"Roger Razak. Rico out." Rico cut the line and looked at his troopers. "Thirty meter increments. Move out!"

The three of them quickly spread out, using their snoopers to measure out the range. Zim and Rico walked to the lip of the crater and looked down into the moving sea of death. It convulsed slowly across the gray and white ground, ceaselessly rising and falling as they ran around, for what purpose Rico couldn't tell, and he didn't care.

"Live forever apes."

JEAN RAZAK

A knock echoed on the door to the office. Carmen looked up from the most recent report on the status of the ship's repairs. She looked up and told the person to come in. The door creaked open and Junker stepped through.

"Sir," He said shutting the door behind him. "How are you feeling Admiral?" He stepped up to the desk and stood at attention.

"At ease Commander." Carmen waved her hand around the room. "I'd offer you chair but most of my furniture is damaged, but I am feeling good, thank you. To what do I owe the visit? I'm sure the repairs have you busy enough without personal check ups on me." She set the reports down.

"We just got word from the Roughnecks on the surface. They've engaged the enemy." His tone dropped and his words were slow.

"How many?" Carmen asked swiveling her chair and looking out the window.

"All of them." He said. "Probably the entire force for the planet."

"What can we do?" She turned back to him and looked him in the eye. He hesitated.

"Nothing. They're going to fight this one out."

"So all we can do is wait?" She asked. She hated not being in control, not knowing.

"Yes ma'am." His response came after a short pause. He seemed to want to say more but held it back.

"Keep me updated." She said. "Dismissed." As Junker walked out she turned back to the window and looked at the planet as they were crossing the terminator. "Come on people, get on your feet." Carmen closed her eyes and leaned back. It was quiet save for the beating of work going on outside. She was almost enveloped in sleep when the warning klaxons announced a new danger. Outside the window she could tell the ship was coming about, along with the other ships present. She hit the link on her desk and called for the bridge. The communications officer came up on the screen, Junker hadn't made it there yet.

"Status?" She asked standing up. She was straightening her coveralls.

"Transport ma'am." He said looking up at a display. "New class... it just jumped in, no warnings. But he's holding stationary just outside our weapons range."

"Maintain position. Power up all batteries, I'll be there in a few minutes." She said and cut the link. She darted across the office to the small closet and pulled out a standard uniform and quickly put it on then left the office for the bridge.

ARMSTRONG PRIME

Rico rested his finger on the trigger. It would take just the slightest pressure to unleash hell. They'd been at it for ten minutes; the bugs didn't seem to care. Attack didn't seem to be the motive. They were just waiting. But all it takes is one rock into the bees nest to anger every one of them. This was an anxious game of Russian Roulette. More had appeared recently. Three more plasma bugs, seven more tankers, countless warriors.

Seconds ticked by like minutes. Rico could notice every blink, every breath, the beat of his heart resonated in the hollow of his helmet. Couldn't call for back up. The one message to the _Razak_ was risky enough for him. And still they waited as Kepler landed ten meters away. He shook his head and jumped back towards the sky.

"I've hated the waiting game," Zim said. He was lying about six meters away, his snoopers down, probably locked in on several bugs at once. All it would take is a couple of quick pulls on the trigger and each bullet would seek out its target. "All my life. It's so boring. I think that's why I could never be someone in charge in the field."

"Oh really?" Rico asked flipping his snoopers down and taking a survey of the scene. The counter kept rising as the helmet marked each bug with a laser sight:

Arachnid Warriors: 10,293  
Arachnid Tankers: 17  
Arachnid Artillery: 7

"Yeah, I just don't have the patience to do it." Zim continued. "I can sit here, take an order and accomplish an order, but to be the one actually giving the order. In the end, I'd want to just blow them off the face of whatever rock they were on. Ask questions later."

Suddenly there was a lot of shaking. Rico could see the ground breaking open in several places all around the crater. More bugs poured out and emptied into the crater. Zim cursed out loud. They watched as they kept coming. But then something happened that none of them expected. A streak of fire arched across the sky from a part of the crater opposite Rico and Zim.

"Lieutenant!" Rico shouted getting to his knees and taking sight. Murphy who was the closest was making his way there. L'Ioo and Kepler weren't far behind.

"I see it!" Zim answered standing up. Murphy landed and disappeared.

"MAJOR RICO!" Murphy shouted over the line. "I'VE FOUND HIM!"

The walls were collapsing around Gossard and his bug companion. Everything was shaking really bad, rocks bounced off his leg, sending spikes of pain shooting through his entire body. He waited, breathing deeply to try and get the pain to subside. Moment by moment the shaking grew more and more violent.

"Looks like this is it buddy." Gossard said. Everything seemed to pitch and the ground seemed to disappear, Gossard then fell what felt like a couple of feet, it felt like and the cavern was falling around him. He looked up to see a large piece of rock falling straight for him and gulped. There was a flash of yellow and black and the rock was gone. He saw 'Robert' struggling to stand, one of its legs tore off, still stuck under the boulder that had been holding it in place. More rocks fell, the bug blocked several from falling on Gossard, or at least that's the way it looked. It was eventually too much and the Robert was quickly overcome and buried. The last he could see of it was its eye. Looking straight at him.

The cavern continued to fall. Gossard looked up and saw the most beautiful thing he was sure he'd ever seen: the stars shining through a hole about ten meters high. He pulled his flare gun off his hip. 'Emergency Flare. Keep Away from Children' it read. He aimed it through the hole. One shot, and one shot only. If anyone was looking for him, hopefully they'd see this. It was going to be a hard shot with the ground moving like it was. He exhaled and squeezed. The flare shot through the hole and into the sky. He waited and looked at his gauge. Twenty minutes left. He sighed and laid his head back against the wall. He looked up.

"MAJOR RICO! I'VE FOUND HIM!" Murphy dropped into the hole. "I got you old man." He said reaching under his arms. L'Ioo and Kepler dropped in to and helped get him to his feet. They all ignited their packs and jumped into the sky.

JEAN RAZAK

Carmen settled into the command chair. The four ships settled into a battle formation, the

"Admiral," He said in a low voice. "If I may; neither you nor this ship is in any condition to be engaging this enemy at the moment. This is one of the new breeds."

"I am well aware of that Captain." She said. He stepped back and nodded. "But I will not be absent if this ship is going to have to go into battle. He's been beat once, it will not happen again." She looked at him and smiled.

The ships settled in and waited. The transport was outside of their weapons range. Carmen thought for a moment and spoke,

"Radio to all ships, maintain position. Keep us at all times outside weapons range and between it and the planet. There's a brain on that bug." She said. She looked at Junker. "This is going to be an uneasy stand off."

ARMSTRONG PRIME

The Roughnecks were returning to base when the message came in about the stand off with the transport above them. The Wolves were setting up reinforced walls as they entered the airlock two by two. Rico entered last and made his way to the infirmary. There everyone was awake. Gossard was on a bed as a machine set his leg. Muniz was hobbling about; Max was propped up with hoses feeding into his arm. The entire squad was present.

"I'm telling you," Gossard said as Rico entered. "It saved my life."

"You were losing air pretty quick," Doc said. "Maybe I should check you for brain damage too." The rest of the squad laughed.

"Maybe they are capable of value is all I'm saying." Gossard looked at the machine as it set his leg. "Maybe once they're apart from the brain, they can think for themselves and it's more than 'kill-kill-kill'. More than death."

"No," Max said. He held up his arm. It was wrapped tightly in bandages; dried blood stained most of it while wet blood still seeped out from the areas around the hoses. "They don't feel. Not in any way. Their whole purpose is simply to kill, otherwise they would negotiate. They wouldn't destroy planets, massacre millions of humans, enslave Tophetti; they wouldn't desire the entire eradication of our race. They don't think, they don't feel, they don't deserve understanding. They deserve nothing less than our contempt. They deserve to die."

"Come on, let us deal wisely with them;  
lest they multiply, and it come to pass,  
that, when there falleth out any war,  
they join also unto our enemies,  
and fight against us,  
and so get them up out of the land."

Exodus 1:10 


	13. Episode 13: The Crucible III

"The Armstrong Campaign"  
Episode 12 - The Crucible: Should We Fall...  
Day 5 (16 SBO)

"Death from above-I think that's the only way a transport can truly be described, especially the newer breeds that we'd come into contact with; pure, unadulterated death. There would be nights on Armstrong, and though they were few, they existed, when I would stare at the glimmering ships in the sky and wonder if when those in the ships looked down, that was what God felt like. They understood what was happening, they'd brought us to this point in the battle, but it was ours to win and they could only watch on in trepidation."

- Dr. Robert "Paperboy" Higgins, from: _The Roughneck Chronicles_

ARMSTRONG PRIME  
Zim stood alone on the edge of the cliff overlooking the bug mound. He grinned slightly to himself as he flipped down his visor and took all the telemetry on it, it would be a whole lot of fun. He flipped them back up and turned around to Johnny, who was leaning against a rock staring into the stars.

"Find anything?" Zim asked stepping away from the edge.

"Funny," Johnny looked back down. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

Zim shrugged. "Bugs, bugs, and more bugs, probably a thousand warriors, a hundred tankers, and two-dozen artillery. Hoppers wouldn't be much use in this," He waved his hand around in the vacuum. "So I'm thinking we come up underneath them. There's a cave entrance twenty meters down the face of the cliff. You and I can do a quick scouting run, figure out where it leads and then be back in time for evening chow."

Rico stepped up to the edge of the cliff, dropped to his chest and looked down the cliff. He spotted the entrance twenty meters down and forty from the bottom of the plateau. He whistled and stood back up. Turning to face his sergeant he said, 

"Nice drop off there, bring the wife often?"

"It could be worse." Zim smirked. "We've been in worse. Remember Hawaii?"

Johnny put up his hand. "Don't remind me, I thought we took care of the bitch then, it was hot as hell down there."

Zim joined Rico at the edge and smiled at him.

"I'll radio base." Rico said flipping his radio on. "Camp Currie, this is Roughneck zero-one, do you copy? Camp Currie, this is Roughneck zero-one, over."

There was a burst of static.

Brutto leaned back in the chair as he spoke. "Go ahead Roughneck Zero-One; this is Camp Currie, Sergeant Brutto speaking. How may I direct your call?" 

Rico laughed out loud over the radio. "Sergeant; Lieutenant Zim and I are going to be checking out some holes near the bug hub, see if we can take this thing out in one hit."

"Roger Roughneck Zero-One," Brutto sat up and checked the radar. He waved Murphy over and pointed at it. Murphy started scribbling down the coordinates and walked to another desk and typed them in. "We've got your locator beacon locked in. Should we set a place for you at the diner table or just leave the left over's in the fridge?" 

"We should be home in time for supper ma'. Have a place set for us." Rico chuckled slightly. "Standard sweep procedures: Radio up to the _Razak_ and have them tracking us, if we flag this thing, I want the rubble nipping at our heals as we retreat."

Brutto turned back to Murphy who was on a headset and gave a thumbs up.

"Copy that Major, the wrecking ball is ready to swing. Just give the word." Rico copied and cut the line. Brutto swung around and used his stump to stop as he pulled down a clip board with his good hand. He marked the Major's position and the time. He put the board back up and slid into the desk.

"Murph," He said going over the read outs from Zim's helmet. "Get yourself, Doc, and L'Ioo suited up and ready to move out."

"Sergeant?" Murphy asked stepping over to the display. Brutto pointed at the numbers on the screen. "These kind of things never go like they're supposed to and I'd like to have what little bit of a squad we have ready to move out."

"Want me to inform the Wolves?" Murphy asked as he made his way to the door.

"No," Max said getting himself comfortable again. "They're pulling double duty. We can handle this one." Murphy left the room and sealed it behind him. Max leaned back and waited for the trouble to come. 

Higgins sat with Corporal Sara Newsome of the Wolves. She was a young girl, beautiful but hard, subtle but loud. She reminded him very much of Dizzy. She smiled as he told her the story about his first time using a weapon in battle.

"...I mean the damn thing just exploded." He said throwing his arms open. She laughed out loud. The two young soldiers sitting at the end of the table, Private's McGuire and Leslie grinned slightly. The other female in the squad, her name was Rachael Tours, walked in and sat down with them. "I just lay on my back, everyone kind of looking at me with shocked faces. I'm sure had I been able to smell I would have stunk to high heaven. But what do I do? I just smile and say 'I think I'm getting the hang of this' like a green rook." 

Sara laughed again and took a bite of her food. An uneasy silence fell for a moment. "So are you married Mr. Higgins?" 

The three at the end of the table burst out into a fit of laughter. Higgins shot them a glare and they quickly closed their mouths, a few chuckles escaping their lips. Sara began to turn red and clenched her fists. Higgins put his on hers and smiled. She seemed to ease up.

"No Sara," He said softly. "I'm not. I've been married four times in ten years."

"I'm so sorry," she said pulling her hands away. "I'm prying. My mother always told me I was too nosey for my own good." The three started laughing again. Higgins rolled his eyes and grabbed Sara's hand.

"Not nosey to ask about a friend." He stood and pulled her with him. "Come on, it's time for our patrol." He let go of her after she stood and led the way out the mess compartment. When he sealed the compartment he smiled at her and made his way to the locker room with her in tow. When they got there, the able members of the Roughnecks were getting geared up. 

"What's going on?" Higgins asked opening up his locker and pulling his helmet out.

Doc tightened the seals and looked out the corner of his eye. "Major's going into a hole. Sergeant wants us ready so when something happens we can get them out."

"Something always happens." Higgins said going to a storage unit with his suit. Sara was already getting hers on. "We're going to be on our patrol. LT should be in soon. If you need help, give us a ring. I think we could manage." 

Doc smiled. "You know it. Never a dull moment with the Roughnecks."

Rico slid down the rocks and swung into the open cave. He released the tow gun and in an instant his morita had replaced it. The muzzle swept the cave twice before he flipped on his helmet light. He whistled and Zim swung in too, dropping down to his knee with his gun out. Rico started to move forward slowly. Zim took up a spot behind him. The Cave beyond their lights was pitch black, and Rico knew that just beyond it hell was probably waiting to be unleashed.

They moved slowly for almost a half hour, winding their way down deeper into the planet's crust. Every few minutes Zim would pull the visor down and take readings as they walked. The walk may have been quiet but Rico had something nagging at the back of his mind. Finally he said it:

"How is she Charlie?" He asked quietly. Zim didn't even pause. 

"She's good. As stubborn as ever, you know how she is." Zim moved up beside him. Rico's mind began racing through all his memories-all of their memories. He remembered the joy that filled his body when she said she was pregnant. Their little girl... Then the sadness of having to leave. Then there came the utter desolation of finding out that she died.

"You still try and talk to her?" Zim asked.

"At least once a week," Rico said. They came to a small ledge. It was about a five foot drop and the cave split a dozen meters away. Rico scanned it quickly and put the visor back up. They jumped down and made their way to the left. 

"And never an answer?" Zim asked placing a small beacon down. The beacons were meant for those on the surface to map the tunnels. They sent out short radio bursts that reflected back and forth through rock and stone back to a listening post. Rico and Zim had set one up in between the camp and the ledge. Brutto should be getting a real nice picture of the colony.

"No." Rico said as they began to walk again. "I don't know if I call because I want to talk to her or if it's because it's what I've been doing for the past couple of years. It's a hard habit to break." Rico took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. "I don't even know what I'd say to tell you the truth."

Zim nodded, he didn't know what to say. "Maybe apologize?" He said after a few moments of silence. Rico froze and turned to him, his eyes ablaze with fury. "You think you got what it takes..._Major_?" 

Rico stared intently into Zim, only the sound of breathing and the suit's self coolers could be heard. Finally Rico looked away then back at him; tears running down his cheeks.

"What was I supposed to do?" He asked. He sat on a rock jutting out from the cave wall. "How could I look at her? I knew she blamed me. She blamed me for not being there. And...I guess...I blamed myself. I should have been there."

"And yet you weren't," Zim leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. Rico wouldn't look up at him. "There were at least twenty different ways you could have got home. You know it. I know it. So why weren't you there?"

Rico finally looked up. "I failed," He whispered. "The sickness came from my side of the family. I wasn't there when I should have been. I failed as a husband and as a father."

Zim grabbed him and pulled him to his feet. "You didn't fail," He put his helmet against Rico's. "You fumbled, but you didn't fail. The game still has time left. Don't give up son."

He turned and looked down the cave. "Besides, we've still got an invasion to halt." Zim handed Rico his rifle and the two continued down into the tunnel.

"So," Rico said. "When do we get to see a pack of little Charlie Zims?"

Zim let out a roar of a laugh.

Higgins rounded a large boulder and jogged up to Sara who was surveying the Bug mound. She had jumped ahead a mile to get some readings on seismic activity that Currie had reported.

"How's it look?" He came up behind her just as she stood.

"They're moving." She turned to face Higgins. "They're moving to the surface. But they're doing it slowly. They're in no big rush." 

"What about the major?" Higgins stepped up to the edge and looked down over the plain.

"I've got their beacons. Their relay station is about a mile east." They're safe for the moment I'm guessing."

"The transport must be getting ready to move." Higgins looked into the sky. "We don't have much time."

JEAN RAZAK  
Carmen was sitting alone in her office, a cold cup of coffee resting next to her right hand and a data pad with the reports on the new offensive by her left. Her head was throbbing, she felt like someone had hit her head again. She pulled the bandage off and rolled it up before tossing it in the small can next to her desk. She touched the gash and winced as a sting shot through her forehead and down her temple and cheek. She pulled out a bottle of pills from her drawer and popped the top off. Four white circular pills fell into her waiting palm. Her eyes examined them as they rolled around in the bowl of her hand. They were simple concentrated aspirin. She tossed them into her mouth and chewed them into a fine powder before swallowing. Her mouth instantly became dry and she drained the last of her coffee, almost spitting it out but swallowing it down. Her desk display beeped and she hit the accept button. The SICON logo was quickly replaced with her communications officer.

"Go ahead." She said putting the top back on the bottle.

"I've got Admiral Holland on a priority one line. He needs to speak with you Admiral." He said keeping his eyes on all the displays around his head.

"Put it through." Carmen pulled some of her hair forward, trying to cover the gash as far as she could tell. Her communications officer disappeared and was replaced with an older man sitting in front of a window that looked out over Geneva. He smiled.

"Looks like you've gotten a little banged up out there. Are you taking care of my ship?"

"Your ship?" She smiled broadly. "You lost her to me fair and square." She paused for a moment. "Maybe I did pull a few strings."

Holland laughed. "I did too; I guess yours were just a bit longer than mine." He waited for a moment then the smile dropped from his face. "I am sorry to say though that this is not a social call. We're issuing order Omega Four."

Carmen looked up for a second then back at Holland. "Are you serious? Why?"

"The Skymarshall feels that we would stand a better chance of repelling the invasion force if we can consolidate our forces at one point. We're spread pretty thin right now Admiral and if all preliminary reports are correct, we've got one hell of an invasion force heading for Earth."

"What about our colonies? What about the Tophetti? We can't just leave them hanging out on their own. We have obligations!" Carmen was furious.

"Do not speak to me about obligations Admiral!" Holland was visibly upset as well. "I know what our 'obligations' are, but Tophet will fall, in two, maybe three days. Their entire governing council has evacuated the planet. They're sending out a recall to all their ships as well and ordering them to Earth. And our colonies…" Holland trailed off. "Eden was easy. We're looking at an eighty per-cent loss right now Admiral, of personnel and material. Your ship is expected back in Earth dry dock by the end of the week." 

"That's going to be hard with the damage we've sustained," Carmen said. "Even if we leave within the hour we'll be pushing it."

"Then I suggest you get moving. You have your orders. Holland out." The screen returned to the SICON insignia. Carmen slammed her fists into the table and screamed out loud. She did it again and this time felt a pop in her small finger. She swore under her breath and popped her finger back into joint.

She pressed the ship-wide and ship-to-ship intercom. "All hands, this is Admiral Ibanez, man your battle stations. Repeat, man your battle stations." She released the button and sat in silence for a moment. Moments later the klaxons sounded and she could hear people rushing by outside. She turned around to a small safe and put in the code. There was a slight hiss followed by the sound of locks releasing and the door slid open to reveal a two keys, a security card, and a piece of laminated paper. Her hands wrapped tightly around them and she put them into her pockets.

Carmen stood up, straightened her shirt and made her way to the bridge.

ARMSTRONG PRIME  
Max had his feet propped up on the desk while he whistled an old song. He looked down at the radar screen and the mapper. Everything was working as it should. Gossard hobbled into the room on a crutch and fell into a chair. He tossed the crutch into the corner.

"Feeling okay old man?" Max asked looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

"I should be back in the suit by the end of the week," He said rubbing on his leg. "I can't wait. I'm tired of just sitting around."

Max waved his stump. "Me too buddy boy. I guess no squad is a squad without some sort of missing eye, limb-"

"We're all missing the brains," Gossard chuckled. He rolled his chair up to a computer and went over the readouts.

Max shrugged. "I guess so. But at least some of us got the looks."

"Thanks," Gossard said as he continued to read. "But you're not my type. Have you relayed this information to our teams?"

"Fifteen minutes ago," Max answered. "Why?"

"This is a break out." Gossard said putting on a head set. Just then the communications terminal lit up and the face of the _Jean Razak_'s comm. officer now filled the screen. Gossard ignored it while he punched up Bobby. After a moment, Bobby's voice broke through the hiss.

"Wolf 3-0, go ahead Currie." Gossard sat up as best he could as he read the numbers.

"You confirm those numbers?" He asked. Bobby spoke to Sara then came back.

"Correction: 2.9 at 6 clicks. Rad level, 0.26. Increase to surface: 2 MPM." Bobby said.

Gossard scribbled the numbers down the typed them in as he spoke. "If those numbers continue to increase we could be in for an ugly surprise in about twenty minutes."

"They've increased ten per-cent since we first got the readings." 

Gossard simply sighed. "They're planning on making a move." He looked over at Max who was still on the line with the _Razak_. "Bobby, let me ask you something."

"Shoot," He replied.

"Does anything about the tactics of the bugs seem odd?" Gossard asked looking at numbers Zim had given earlier.

"You mean: 'Why aren't we up to our knees in arachnid?" Bobby asked. "Eden was tough, they were swarming. But it just didn't feel right. Same goes here."

Sara broke through. "They're weak. They're trying to catch us off guard and destroy us in one blow. But why would they do that? Why not just wait until they had the forces they need to wage the kind of war they need to wage?"

"What do you think Goss?" Bobby asked.

Gossard thought for a moment then came back. "I think they've jumped the gun. They want us out of the way and they want it now. But who knows why?" Gossard caught Max out of the corner of his eye as he slammed his remaining hand against the metal table. "I'll call you back Bobby." Gossard cut the line. 

"We have thirty minutes to get all personnel back to the camp." Max said. "We've been ordered back to Earth." 

Gossard grabbed his crutch. "I'll let Doc know. He can pick up Higgins and the Major in a skimmer."

"The Major is out of contact." Max said flipping through channels. "I'll have to get the paper boy to go in and grab him." 

"Do it." Gossard said as he rushed out of the room as quickly as he could.

Higgins swung into the same cave that Rico and Zim had entered almost an hour earlier. Sara soon followed. He looked at her and smiled then turned on his head lamp. They began through the tunnel, slowly at first, then quicker as they continued. They were quickly running out of time. 

JEAN RAZAK  
Carmen sat in her chair staring out into the space before her. The horizon of a dead planet and transport bug decorated her view. Junker was eyeing a stop watch. The lights dimmed and the klaxons ceased.

"Admiral?" Junker said softly.

"Put me through." She said. Junker nodded and the commander comm. was activated. It was a nice little piece of work that allowed for commanders of separate ships to communicate during battle directly with one another on a separate and secure channel. Carmen grabbed her headset and put it on. "Do you copy me commanders?"

T'Phai was the first to respond followed but the captain's of the _Ticonderoga_, and _Harry Lee_. "Awaiting orders Admiral." T'Phai quickly said.

"I want the _Harry Lee_ and _Ticonderoga_ to break first, maximum thrust, then give that sucker a broad side. A fighter wing from the _Razak_ will bombard the dorsal side and The _M'Tre_ and her fighters will approach and bombard the weakened areas with crusher bombs. The _Razak_ will then come in and finish the job with two timed nukes down the hatch. We've set them for thirty seconds, so we should all have time to get away"

The commanders all copied. "Good luck gentlemen. Begin thirty second countdown on my mark..." Carmen held her breath for a moment then released. She noticed her hands were gripping into the chair pretty hard. "Mark."

A countdown clock began to decline toward zero. All the bridge officers began to relay orders and prepare the ship. It was the longest thirty seconds Carmen had experienced in years. But when the clock hit zero and flashed, all hell broke loose.

The _Harry Lee_ and _Ticonderoga_ broke in unison, engines at full. As they neared gun fire from their forward batteries began to arch towards the bug. Its wings quickly came up and it tried to spin around to allow itself a better shot and as it did, the _Ticonderoga_ was hit with a heavy broadside that tore much of the front half of the ship away. Carmen could hear her captain screaming orders to abandon ship and to give him full power to the engines. She heard the captain of the Harry Lee bark orders to watch for life boats and to adjust the ship's bearing. She saw the _Harry Lee_ fired its thrusters, rolled onto its side as it lurched over the top the bug and released a devastating salvo into the soft skin of the transport. Blue explosions rippled across its back as the ingrown plasma bugs erupted at critical mass. The _Harry Lee_ screamed over the transport, her engine bells fueling the flames and tearing the backside apart. But the _Ticonderoga_ was not so lucky as she rammed into the side and erupted into flames. 

"T'Phai!" Carmen shouted. "Hold back! Tell our fighters to stay with the _M'Tre_. Helm, full speed ahead, bearing two-zero-three point two-nine, mark five-zero! Roll us over; I want out missile tubes to have a clear shot at that thing's back. All batteries open fire!" Carmen felt the ship begin to pitch as the artificial gravity struggled to keep up. The transport continued to spin, managing to get a few shots off against the Harry Lee before its guns were aimed at the Razak.

Carmen watched unable to do anything as blue streaks of fire lanced towards the ship and pealed much of the thick armor away from the hull. Oxygen was venting out into space along with a few people. Sparks flew across her field of view and explosion ripped through the skin of the _Razak_. Her ship was taking a beating he may not recover from. The ship continued to shake violently as plasma impacted on its hull.

"Weapons! Fire at will!" Carmen was trying to keep herself from falling out of her chair. "Helm, I need everything you've got." 

"Aye, ma'am!" He weapons officer shouted. He flipped a switch and two nukes shot from the missile tubes and into burning transport. The _Razak_ shot away from the transport and was coming up behind the _Harry Lee_ just as the transport exploded in a nuclear fireball. The ship shook violently from the shockwave but soon calmed. The helmsman brought them about to face the scattered remains of the transport.

"Mr. Junker," Carmen turned to him. He had his hand pressed to his ear as damage reports were being fed to him.

"Deck five through 9, sections A through G damaged, casualty reports are still coming in." he shook his head. "We lost some good people Admiral." 

"They're all good people," Carmen said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the keys and cards. Junker looked at them and nodded. "Flight! I want those people off of that planet ASAP."

"Aye captain!" The flight officer said. He relayed the orders quickly to the flight deck.

"Mr. Junker, order up our Crackers." Carmen stepped down from her chair and handed him a key and the security card. He grabbed them and quickly departed from the bridge. Carmen looked down on the burning wreckage of the transport and Ticonderoga. Several retrieval ships left the _Razak_ and the _Harry Lee_ making towards the debris to look for survivors. Carmen doubted there would be any. Two ships in as many weeks she'd watched burn. It began to hit her.

Two ships, each with close to six hundred crewmen on it. The civilians on Eden, maybe three hundred left behind to be slaughtered. Women and children left behind. She'd been out of actual combat for almost three years, being stationed on Earth waiting for her ship. She hadn't even seen death like this during the war. She knew it had happened though. The _Roger Young_ over Planet P, The _Nimitz_ over Nubia, the Lakota Task Force at Trinity Prime. But to actually watch it happen. She shook her head and walked up the helm. She didn't have time to think about the lives. There were too many others on the line. Soldiers die. It's part of the job.

"Put us in a geo-sync orbit over the camp." She said.

"Yes, ma'am." The officer said as she turned the controls towards the planet.

ARMSTRONG PRIME  
L'Ioo was sitting at the controls of the skimmer with Murphy sitting next to her while Doc paced back and forth. They weren't moving, just sitting still, waiting near the entrance to the cave for the Rico and the others. A couple of minutes before they had seen the nuclear explosion above them and they knew that they were running out of time. Murphy had wanted to go in after the Major but Doc told him that two people were already in there, three more wouldn't help anyone. All they could do was wait.

Higgins was following the beacons through the tunnel. He couldn't tell if they were getting any closer to the Major, but he knew they were getting closer to running out of time. They jumped down a small ledge and made their way down the right corridor. The other beacon was down there. Only three more ahead of them.

Rico loaded another clip into his rifle and squeezed the trigger. The two warriors dropped with a thud and three more climbed over them. Zim came up beside him and fired into the three.

"Charges placed!" He yelled. Rico's radar began to beep. He pulled his visor down and it showed signatures coming up behind them. Maybe fifty meters.

"We've been flanked." Rico said as he pulled his visor back up. He squeezed again and let the rounds fly. They started to back up as the bugs continued to come. The others should be up behind them soon. 

"Major Rico!" A voice broke through. It was Higgins. "We're coming up behind you. We've been ordered off the planet. We have to get out now."

"What?" Rico asked. "Why?" Higgins and Sara reached them and began firing.

"No idea. Came in fifteen minutes ago," Higgins was out of breath. "That's a long run."

"Not if you had kept up with your training," Zim yelled.

"I'm a reporter! I never went through basic!' Higgins brought down a warrior. It was quiet suddenly.

"Blow it!" Rico said. Zim pulled out the detonator and set the timer for thirty seconds and dropped it. They began to run back the way they came. Finally it blew and they were thrown from their feet by the explosion shaking the ground beneath them. In the low gravity Sara flew up and hit the ceiling and was knocked unconscious. The roof caved in behind them and revealed the stars above. It was maybe fifteen meters up. 

"Lieutenant," Rico threw his rifle over his shoulder. "Fire a flare; let them know where we are. We're going up." He grabbed Sara and put her over his shoulder. Higgins helped steady her.

"Not bad Paper Boy," He smiled. Zim launched a flare and began to climb. Rico and Higgins followed close behind.

Doc saw the plain collapse in four spots. From three of them bugs poured out and made their way towards the fourth. He figured that's where the Major would be popping out.

"L'Ioo," said moving Murphy out of the seat and taking his spot. "Get us to that empty one. Murphy, man the hatch, I want them to have cover."

"Yes, sir!" Murphy went to the back and grabbed the bar next to the door as L'Ioo threw the skimmer into full power. Just then a flared arched into the sky. They launched forward and across the landscape towards the flare. Doc saw three figures climbing out of the hole, one was holding a fourth. Two dropped to their knees and began to fire at the incoming warriors. Two tankers were soon on the surface too and spraying their acid at the troopers.

"Let's move!" Doc yelled. L'Ioo maneuvered the skimmer away from their target and spun it around to bring their tail across a large group of warriors, slamming them into the ground and blowing them across the field. Soon they were next to the Major and the others rushed for the door and Murphy dropped it. He jumped out next to Zim and began to fire as Higgins and Rico made their way up the ramp with Sara being carried by the both of them now.

"Both of you," Rico yelled putting Sara down. "Up here now." Murphy broke first and was up the ramp next to Rico firing into the mob of bugs. Zim turned to rush up the ramp. Rico watched helplessly as one warrior broke through and latched it's mandibles around Zim's thigh. Suddenly, he was back on Earth, in San Francisco bay, and it wasn't Zim he was looking at, but Jean Razak. Rico yelled and jumped down, grabbing his arm as Murphy pumped round after round into it and the others around them.

"Hold on LT," He screamed. Zim cried out in pain and the bug squeezed tighter. He pulled out a grenade and flipped the switch. He looked Rico in the eye and shook his head. 

"No!" Rico screamed. "Not again!" Rico held Zim's arm tightly then adjusted his suit, transferring all the power to its strength receptors. He released Zim and jumped into the sky and fell onto the bug as it reared its head with his lieutenant still firmly between its jaws. Rico mounted it and grabbed the upper mandible and dug his fingers into in, puncturing the thick hide. He could feel the suit straining as he pulled upwards and tore it from the rest of the body. It dropped Zim and collapsed. Murphy rushed down, grabbed the grenade and threw it into the mob. It exploded, giving them the time they needed. He and Rico then grabbed Zim as the skimmer began to move. They were up the ramp and closed the door just they shot forward.

Zim looked at Rico and smiled. "I guess I'll think twice next time."

Rico readjusted his suit. "Consider it an order Lieutenant." Rico and Murphy helped Zim to his feet. He winced in pain.

"Not broken, just bruised to Hell and back." They reached the cockpit as they ramped up the cliff and came down with a thud. "What is it with these troopers and driving now? Where did they learn this?" 

"ETA?" Rico asked sitting down in one of the extra seats.

"Two minutes," L'Ioo responded. They could see three transports coming down from the _Razak_.

"What is going on?" Rico wondered aloud.

After only three minutes back at the base everyone was loaded onto the transports along with what little equipment they could grab. It was mostly ammo and spare suits. All other equipment had been deemed expendable. The injured were with the Roughnecks. Sara had awoken with a bad headache just as they returned and she and Higgins had rejoined the Wolves. Rico made his way to the cockpit as they broke the gravity of Armstrong. He could see the badly damaged _Jean Razak_ coming into view and shook his head.

JEAN RAZAK   
They landed without a problem and the Roughnecks helped to get the wounded and supplies off the transport before leaving for the locker room. Gossard, Muniz and Brutto were all taken to the all ready crowded infirmary, L'Ioo to the skinny deck.

"I am so going to enjoy this shower." Murphy said when they entered the locker room. He tossed his helmet down and fell onto the bench. 

"A nice bunk for once too," Doc said. "I don't know about you guys, but those things felt like a piece of cardboard on top of a slab of steel."

"Can't have our soldiers getting soft can we?" Rico laughed. "I'll be on the bridge. You guys get some chow and rest. I want you in the sim-room at 0330 tomorrow."

"Aww, Major!" Murphy whined getting his armor off. "Just a day's break?" 

"Major's orders, private!" Zim said pulling his own armor off. "Belly aching wasn't an option."

Rico smiled and left the room as Murphy made his way into a shower stall. 

In the weapons room Junker had slid his security card and the locker opened revealing six shelves each with seven thick lead containers. He'd slid the card again on two and the opened to the warheads within. Each was a cylinder about a foot long and three inches wide. He had taken both of them and handed them to the officer behind him who walked carefully to two waiting missiles and put them in. The officer had sealed the missiles back and nodded at Junker.

Junker was now back on the bridge standing four feet away from Admiral Ibanez, his key in the slot. Major Rico was standing on the forward deck looking down onto the planet. Admiral Ibanez nodded and they turned. The computer now spoke. 

"Confirmation of release of munitions," It said. "Voice ID required from commanding officer and first officer for firing of two CB-102's."

"Confirm: Ibanez, Carmen, Admiral. Omega-nine-foxtrot-one-seven-echo."

"Confirmed for Admiral Carmen Ibanez." Junker now spoke.

"Confirm: Junker, Calvin, Commander. Delta-six-tango-six-zero-bravo." 

"Confirmed for Commander Calvin Junker." The computer went silent for a moment then came back. "Munitions: two C-B-one-zero-twos armed and ready for fire."

"Fire." The Admiral said. The weapons officer pressed the button and two streaks of fire shot from the underside of the ship. Soon they disappeared followed moments later by a brilliant explosion on the surface of the planet. From the point of the explosion large cracks began to expand across the surface until they were glowing from the molten interior making its way to the top. The cracks continued until the horizon and the planet was visibly shaking until pieces of it began to break off. Trails of hot liquid rock were spewing out from the cracks now, almost as though the planet was reaching out in pain for something to help it.

After only two minutes, Armstrong Prime had been destroyed, shaken apart to the point of being nothing but large chunks of rock floating in place of what used to be a planet. Rico shook his head and turned to face Ibanez who was looking straight at him.

"The things we can do," He said. 

"We had too." She said as Rico walked up to her and stood next to her.

"Oh I know," He responded as he turned back to what had been a planet. "I'm just happy these things are a last resort."

She whispered. "Let's just be happy that this was an Omega Four, and not an Omega One." 

Rico shuddered. "I know." He looked down then at her. "Good day Admiral."

"Good day Major." She said. Rico smiled and left the bridge while Carmen returned to her chair.

"Communications, message to the other ships: set course for Earth, maximum speed." The comm. officer acknowledged her. "Helm, set course. Take us home."

"Aye, Admiral." She said, her hands dancing over the controls. "Course set."

"Engage jump drive." Carmen said.

In space there was no sound as the three ships streaked forward and out of sight from the debris of Armstrong Prime towards Earth. The _Jean Razak_ had accomplished the task. No thing was left alive on the remains of the planet. The Bugs had been disintegrated by the bombs. 

TESCA NEMEROSA  
At Zegima Beach three MI were looking out into the sea and the night sky. It was beautiful, almost like Earth. They all doubted they'd ever see it again since the ships in orbit had either been destroyed or jumped back to Earth, leaving them stranded. There were twenty MI and maybe twenty thousand bugs.

One pointed into the sky as a streak of fire descended towards them. First they thought it was another transport, but it was too small. Then it was a meteor or something, but it was too controlled. Finally they could tell it was SICON ship. PFC Todd Franklin rushed down to get their commanding officer, Lieutenant Yuri Gates who was cleaning his weapons as he oversaw supply round up.

"LT!" Franklin called. He was a young man, maybe nineteen, who had joined the infantry to see some of the galaxy and in hopes of making a little cash for college when his term was up. It had been three days since they'd been abandoned and he'd seen some horrid fighting. He watched as three men were torn apart by bugs but yet he was keeping his morale up. Gates figured it'd fail soon.

"What is it?" He asked without looking up.

"SICON ship sir!" He called. Everyone froze and looked up at Franklin. Gates stood. 

"Where?" He asked. Franklin opened his mouth but then the ship shot overhead with a trail of smoke behind it. They watched as it disappeared then heard the sound of its impact. "Jefferies, McDonald, Pieter, you're with me. Let's check it out." They all grabbed their weapons and went to the front gate. It opened slowly into the dense jungle which was eerily silent. 

"Move!" He said and they all ran into the foliage. 

Carl was slumped over the controls of his ship. It had barely made the jump before it started shaking apart and he was forced to bring it out in orbit around Tesca Nemerosa. The sound of groaning and stressed steal and forced him to angle it down and towards Zegima Beach. The entry had rough and a piece of flying machinery had hit him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him but he'd managed not to hit the base. Instead he hit a tree and shattered the front glass. He was able to shield himself from the flying glass but was hit by a large piece of tree that knocked him out.

After a few minutes Carl regained consciousness and released his straps. It was hard for him to focus but he managed to grab a rifle and blow the hatch. Stumbling out he managed to stay upright long enough to recognize the forms of six or seven warriors looking at him. He tried to raise his rifle but he just dropped it and fell to his knees. One of them screeched and they all ran at him. Carl heard a series of shots and watched as warriors collapsed from bullets.

Four men rushed out of the jungle and spotted him. He couldn't understand a word they said he just smiled and fell back as everything went dark.

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war  
as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not   
the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have  
divine power..."

2 Corinthians 10:3-4


End file.
